Members of the Leek Branch of the Royal British Legion, local clergy and Council officials attended the dedication of a Time Capsule inside the Nicholson War Memorial, Leek, on Monday 25th September. The capsule was the brainchild of Alan Brundrett, the volunteer ‘keeper’ of the war memorial and Chris Sheldon, a member of the Leek Branch and author of two books telling the story of the servicemen and women from Leek who are listed on the memorial. The idea was born following last year’s 80th Anniversary Rededication Service of the Nicholson War Memorial when thousands of people witnessed the dedication of three new bronze plaques listing the names of fifteen men and women whose names had been inadvertently omitted from the Second World War plaques. The Capsule was sealed by the Mayor of Leek, Councillor Steve Povey and the Chairman of the Leek Royal British Legion, Geoffrey Robinson, BEM (above).
The Time Capsule is made of a transparent acrylic material and is airtight. Unlike most Time Capsules, it has not been buried but has been locked inside a cabinet within the structure of the war memorial. The books, documents and other memorabilia sealed in the capsule give the history of the ‘Monument’, as it is called locally, from its unveiling in 1925 to the present day. There are sets of medals awarded to Leek servicemen in both wars, books and documents listing all known details of the 535 names listed on the war memorial and photographs of the fallen. Other items include photographs and a video record of the Rededication Service in 2005 and even original film footage of the original unveiling service 80 years earlier. The Time Capsule and its contents should ensure that the fascinating history of the Nicholson War Memorial, believed to be the largest in the country and the only one with four clock faces, will never be lost.
