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Mercury was star of time capsule show

A 19th century time capsule containing a copy of the Lichfield Mercury and Herald and City Times from 1891 has been discovered.

There were several other documents found buried at Lichfield Methodist Church as well as a penny, a half penny and a farthing.

The newspaper was discovered during building work at the church.

It is believed that the time capsule was buried as a part of a ceremony in 1891 when the Mayor of Lichfield laid the foundation stone for the church.

The documents found inside the 19th century time capsule were identified as a Methodist Recorder paper, a notice of circuit ministers, a list of trustees, the Lichfield Herald and a Lichfield Mercury.

Rev John Atkinson, who opened the capsule, said: “I was fascinated, it was really interesting. The discovery of the capsule was a total surprise – nobody knew it was there.”

The capsule is to be re-buried along with modern documentation including the current edition of the Mercury and a contemporary Methodist church plan for the Tamworth and Lichfield circuit.

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