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A time capsule containing relics from the 19th century was unearthed by contractors working on the project in December 2019, when the Robert Burns statue on Baltic Street was temporarily removed to make way for construction.

Archaeologists excavating the site found the time capsule beneath a lead sheet in a purpose-carved socket in the plinth underneath the statue. It is believed to have been placed there when the statue was erected in 1898, though on opening the capsule conservators learned that it had been subsequently opened and resealed in 1961.

Found inside the capsule from 1898 were:

• newspapers
• coins of all denominations from the time
• a pamphlet including information on crimes investigated in Edinburgh in 1897
• a small leaflet containing rules and the constitution of the Leith Burns Club
• a letter from the Leith Burns Club detailing members, information on the statue and a Burns poem.

From 1961, there were also newspapers and a letter from the people who had opened the original time capsule.

We’ve investigated some of these items further. Watch our vlog on the 1897 Crimes and Offences booklet, featuring Police Sargent Elaine McArthur-Kerr from the Leith Police Station,  to find out what the crimes of the time looked like.

Download images of the Crimes and Offences booklet (PDF).

In December 2021 we reinstated the 1898-time capsule discovered under the Robert Burns statue and with it a new time capsule from 2021 for future generations to discover. Both time capsules have been placed in a purpose-made socket within the plinth that sits underneath the statue.

The 1898-time capsule has been a great vehicle to deliver its amazingly preserved contents to the future. Conservationist Nic Boyes has been responsible for creating the new capsule modelled on the old one.

We carefully thought about what we wanted to include for future generations to discover and decided to include contents similar to the old capsule to give a comparison across times. In addition, we engaged with local authors, poets, groups and schools to reflect our current times.

The contents of the new capsule include:

• Signed copy of Jemma Neville’s book – Constitution Street including a personal note.
• A New Poem written by Professor Alan Spence Edinburgh Makar/Poet Laureate of Edinburgh from 2017 to 2021.
• From Edinburgh North East Police, a letter from the Local Area Commander CI Tait, a copy of the Police Scotland Annual Report 2021-22 and a hat badge.
• Poems and stories from Victoria Primary Schools P7 Classes of 2020/2021 who took part in our challenge to create content for the capsule.
• Letter from the Edinburgh Burns Club.
• Local and national newspapers from the day of sealing.
• Mix of coins from 2020/2021
• Trams to Newhaven – Current Newsletter
• Pen drive including content on the Trams to Newhaven Project, pictures of local business owners, pictures and vlogs on the discovery and opening of the 1898 capsule, and sealing of the 2021 capsule.
• And of course a face mask!