The contents of a 119-year-old message in a bottle, discovered at the King’s Theatre during the ongoing redevelopment project, have finally been revealed. The glass bottle, which was discovered by theatre photographer and historian Mike Hume in December 2024, was hidden inside the plaster crown at the centre of the King’s Theatre proscenium arch, right above the stage.
Upon its discovery, King’s donor Mike and the Capital Theatres team identified that the piece of paper inside the bottle was dated to 1906, the same year the King’s Theatre opened. However, to preserve the fragile document, expert conservators were required to safely remove its contents.
In December 2024, the Scottish Conservation Studio removed the plaster seal and bottle top but could not remove the scroll of paper without potentially damaging it. Finally, in February 2025, the base of the bottle was carefully removed by Laura Clair, a Glass Technician from the Edinburgh College of Art, to safely access its content.
Dated to October 1906, just two months before the King’s opened its doors to the public, the bottle contained a list of contractor names. It gives details of the architects, draftsman plasterers and journeymen (or apprentices) who worked on the construction of the theatre.
As the only surviving operational theatre by Kirkcaldy based-architects Swanston and Davidson, their names appear first on the list. The Swanston Family have donated some of their grandfather’s artefacts to The People’s Archive. These include tools used by John D. Swanston, and a catalogue of images of the plaster moulds which feature in the King’s rich interior, such as the cupids which grace the front of the boxes. A postcard featuring a photograph of J D Swanston in uniform during the First World War as captain of the Black Watch has also been donated to the King’s Theatre archive by his family. Other names on the note include plasterer George King Senior, and apprentice plasterer George King Junior – a father and son team.
The hidden glass bottle, the note inside and Swanston’s postcard will be included in The People’s Archive – a comprehensive digital platform offering access to programmes, photographs, playbills, press articles and oral histories all about this much-loved Edwardian theatre. With over 2,700 items, this searchable catalogue, launching in April 2025, will enable users to immerse themselves in the history of the King’s Theatre through diverse research projects, ranging from genealogy articles to model boxes and costume design.
Fiona Gibson, Chief Executive of Capital Theatres, said: “The redevelopment of the King’s has been a thrilling journey from the very start. Finding a note from 1906, the very year the theatre first opened its doors, is apt as we prepare for the next chapter in the theatre’s rich history. This remarkable find offers a poignant connection to the generations who have passed through the ‘Grand Old Lady of Leven Street’, the histories of which we will explore when The People’s Archive launches later this year.”
Abby Pendlebury, Heritage Engagement Manager at Capital Theatres, said: “We knew we had something really special when the bottle was uncovered. For 119 years, the bottle was waiting behind the crown – something that every audience member has seen since the theatre first opened in 1906. The significance of the message is that the list of names ranges from managers and directors to draughtsman, architects, and plasterers – people working on the site who were so proud of what they had built. There is pride and ownership in this note. Now we have the histories of those who made ‘the people’s theatre,’ which we will proudly share as part of the King’s origin story in The People’s Archive and through new displays at the theatre when it reopens.”
Mike Hume, King’s donor, said: “This is the sort of discovery everyone hopes for on a project of this scale. When the builders of the King’s Theatre placed this special trinket at the very centre of it, they intended to honour the local people who built the theatre. It’s astonishing to think that this time capsule of history has been hidden in plain sight for nearly 120 years, silently bearing witness to the countless famous faces – and Edinburgh community performers – that have graced the stage of the King’s.”
Supported by Scottish Government, City of Edinburgh Council, The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Historic Environment Scotland, The People’s Archive is part of Capital Theatres’ ongoing commitment to preserve and promote Edinburgh’s rich and important theatre heritage for future generations.
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