Creating a Family History Time Capsule

   Including others members of your family in your latest research project is always a benefit. Not only will you be able share the thrill of your findings but they may even see things from a different prospective to you, pointing out areas of research that you may not have considered before. If you’ve amassed a wide selection of data to work with, consider how you can expand upon this with the addition of a 21^st century twist. Get your children or grandchildren involved at home - or if you’re feeling adventurous contact the local school - with the idea of perhaps creating a ‘time capsule’ as a lasting legacy.

   In Sept 2012, a time capsule was buried at the new location of London's Design Museum to mark the start of building work at the site - so why not have a go at creating your own.

The time capsule buried under the new Design Museum Photo: Dominic French

   A time capsule is a container in which you store a variety of objects that are typical of the present time then bury it for discovery in the future providing the finders with a real glimpse into the past. Initially, decide upon a duration and all agree that it will be opened in ten years time, for example. Try to choose a significant date for the opening and every year write a note on a calendar or in your diary to remind you. You can even register your time capsule with the International Time Capsule Society in Atlanta, Georgia – an organisation created to maintain a global database of all the existing time capsules in the world. Find out more by visiting this fascinating site at http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-2634

    If you do decide to bury your capsule, choose a location which you know will still be accessible after your given number of years. Find a container which will be water and weatherproof to limit its susceptibility to moisture. The alternative is to keep your capsule above ground in a metal container hidden in a hollowed out tree or the rafters of your shed – these are sometimes known as Geocapsules – or simply keep it well wrapped and secreted in the loft. Always store it where you will easily be able to retrieve it again later.

   The most important task is to give some thought about what you’d like to include – your ideas may not be the same as your children’s but you need to come to a happy compromise.

Do’s…

• Include a letter explaining who you are, why and when you have made the time capsule and any relevant details about what is going on in the world around you at that time – make it fun yet informative.
• You’re researching your family tree so you will need to add a copy of this.
• Scan photographs of you, your children and family members and label each one. Be selective - choosing ones which show the fashions of the time, the decoration of your home and your favourite gadgets and appliances – all images that will help to show the finder how times have changed.
• Be creative - once you start to think about what you can add you will discover that the list is endless. Utility bills, currency, wage slips and holiday invoices will all help to put the cost of living into perspective. Event tickets, stamps, postcards and memorabilia make great collectable items whilst food packaging, labels and newspapers reflect the present and demonstrate current trends.

 Don'ts…

• Never include originals of certificates, photographs or maps – the 21^st century is awash with technology – so use it and scan your items to make copies.
• Try not to fold any paper based items – roll them instead – and put them in an airtight bag.
• Don’t include any perishable goods which may go off and spoil your project.
• Despite USB flash drives and CDs being able to hold your information today, it does not necessarily mean that these will be useable in the future. Print out anything that you want to include and at least you can be certain that your work will be readable.