Time capsule delights Cadboro Bay church

Parish rector Richard LeSueur displays the contents of a 64-year-old time capsule found by Story Construction workers behind the cornerstone of St. Georges Anglican Church in Cadboro Bay last week. The cornerstone was removed during renovations for the churchs new $1.2 million welcoming centre. The capsule, a clear glass bottle, contained a copy of the Victoria Daily Times front page from April 21, 1951, a series of coins from 1 to 50 cents, and a pair of Sunday service bulletins from that year.

image credit: Travis Paterson/News staff

The discovery of a buried time capsule has opened a window to the past for members of St. Georges Anglican Church.

The 64-year-old glass bottle was found underneath the original churchs cornerstone during construction of a $1.2-million addition to the Cadboro Bay church, said parish rector Richard LeSueur.

The cornerstone marked the current church, which was built in 1951, but there was nothing to indicate a time capsule of any sort, LeSueur said.

The small glass bottle containing the items broke during construction, but its goods remain intact. The largest item is a cover of the Victoria Daily Times from Saturday April 21, 1951, two days before the cornerstone was put in place. The bottle also had a handful of Canadian coins embossed with the head of King George, bulletins from Sunday services one from April 22, 1951, and one from the current churchs sod-turning ceremony earlier that year, which featured B.C.s Lieutenant Governor Clarence Wallace, who was also a shipbuilder.

The fact that Wallace actually partook in the sod turning is interesting, the interfacing of church and state we dont see now, LeSueur said.

Despite the downsizing of the B.C.s Anglican diocese in recent years, in which many smaller churches were closed, St. Georges is actually expanding in more ways than just its new $1.2-million narthex, or welcoming space.

We have a growing congregation size, and are growing in programs and outreach, with a lot of success through our University of Victoria and young adult program, he said.

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Time capsule delights Cadboro Bay church