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Builder finds 'spooky' 1964 time capsule

Winnie AgbonlahorLondon
News imageCrystal Palace Park Trust/Google Composite image showing four coins and a hand-written letter, which says: "These coins were planted in the year that 'Santa Claus' won the Derby. When unearthed, the monetary value should be 'laid on a horse in the Derby whose name can be in some way associated with 'Santa Claus' (and the best of British luck)" on one side and the bust of Sir Joseph Paxton on the other sideCrystal Palace Park Trust/Google
The coins and letter were in a time capsule found underneath a bust of Sir Joseph Paxton in Crystal Palace Park

A construction worker has found a time capsule from 1964 featuring four old English coins and a "spooky" letter telling him to use the money for a horse-racing bet.

The note, discovered underneath a statue in Crystal Palace Park in south London, said the money had been the winnings from a bet on a horse named Santa Claus in the Epsom Derby, and that its finder should use it to bet on a horse with a name that could be "associated with 'Santa Claus'".

"Unbelievably, there is a horse in this year's Derby called Christmas Day," site manager Josh Smalls said.

Smalls, along with the mayor of Bromley, has placed a bet on Christmas Day for the Betfred Derby Day at Epsom Downs on Saturday.

News imageCrystal Palace Park Trust Four coins and a hand-written letter, which says: "These coins were planted in the year that 'Santa Claus' won the Derby. When unearthed, the monetary value should be 'laid on a horse in teh Derby whose name can be in some way associated with 'Santa Claus' (and the best of British luck)Crystal Palace Park Trust
The coins and letter were in a time capsule found underneath a statue in Crystal Palace Park, south London

The capsule was first discovered on 15 April by Craciun Marius Dorin, a construction worker at Maylim, which is delivering the park regeneration.

"I'm Romanian and Craciun in Romanian actually means Christmas - isn't that crazy?," he said.

News imageCrystal Palace Park Trust Marius Craciun Dorin, Josh Smalls, Maylim, councillor Christine Harris, Mayor of Bromley, Florin Chiric, Maylim, Martin Tempia, co-chair at Crystal palace Park Trust. Harris is in the middle holding up the note, while the rest of the people pictured are holding up one of the coins the note came with.Crystal Palace Park Trust
The note was discovered by Maylim construction worker Marius Craciun Dorin (first on the left), who is pictured here with colleagues and the mayor of Bromley Christine Harris

Dorin immediately handed the discovery to Smalls, who said: "It was very exciting. I was like a child on Christmas Day. To find a piece of history like that - and for it to link up so well with the horse this year - it was kind of spooky.

"I looked through the rosters of the last few years and couldn't find any other horse with a Christmassy name.

"And after going down a bit of a research rabbit hole, I found out that the trainer of Santa Claus was a fellow called Vincent O'Brien, and it turned out the trainer of this horse - Christmas Day, is actually called Aidan O'Brien.

"So I'm not sure if there was a direct relation there, but I thought it was quite cool."

News imageBritish Pathé Black and white photo of horses racingBritish Pathé
Santa Claus won the Epsom Derby in 1964

Smalls, who moved to London from County Armagh two years ago, said he grew up with horse racing: "My uncle was a racing horse trainer, I'd go to about two races every year.

"So this note sparked quite a bit of interest."

Smalls said he placed his £20 bet on Christmas Day moments after the time capsule was discovered.

"Hopefully he'll win on Saturday and make everyone a bit of money," he added.

Bromley mayor Christine Harris has also placed a £15 bet on Christmas Day with any winnings going to her chosen charities Madlani Cancer Support and the Dyslexia Association of Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich and Lewisham.

News imageCrystal Palace Park Trust Two construction workers moving the bust onto a truck with multiple harnessesCrystal Palace Park Trust
Sir Joseph Paxton's bust was restored and moved to a new location in the park

The note and four shillings and two half crowns, equivalent to about £10 today, was found wrapped in a plastic sheet underneath the bust of Sir Joseph Paxton, a 19th-century garden designer who built the Crystal Palace.

The bust was being removed from its plinth to be relocated to a new one on the Italian Terraces, the stone steps at the top of the park near where the Crystal Palace once stood.

The move is part of a £22m project to upgrade Crystal Palace Park.

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