St. Mary’s Church Clock and the Time Capsule    

Until 1952 there were six bells in the church tower. Then, the tower became unsafe and the bells could not be rung. £3,500 was raised from the town in a hundred days. After the tower and spire had been strengthened the bells were re-hung with two new bells added. Due to the extra weight with eight bells, the positions of the clock mechanism and the bells were reversed. Since then the clock mechanism has been above the clock face. Over the past years the church clock and its chiming and striking mechanisms have all been powered by weights which move down and then have to be wound back up again by hand. Since the 1952 changes the chiming and striking mechanisms, each with a large weight weighing 7 to 8 cwt, need to be wound every fifty hours. The clock mechanism, with a smaller weight weighing 2 to 3 cwt, need to be wound every six days. It is therefore necessary for someone to ascend the 66 steps from ground level every two days.

In 1953, when 17 year old Peter White was in the church choir, the Rector, the Rev. Edwin A. Green, asked him if he would like to be the verger. The Job, at that time, included winding up the church clock. He started the job and then, in 1954, Peter decided to train as a nurse. For the following eight years, until 1962, his father undertook the winding of the clock. Peter then again took on the task which he has now done for the 36 years since 1962.

The church owns the clock and the local council pays for its winding and maintenance. It is an amenity for Rushden and is probably looked at by most of the inhabitants. In the 1950s the £20 per year paid to Peter’s father was enough to pay his council rates for the whole year. In May 1993, Peter again became Verger at St. Mary’s after the retirement of the former Verger, Fred Bass.

In 1998 the Church Council decided that it was time to spare Peter the 66 step climb he had to do every other day to wind the clock so it was agreed to install an automatic winding system at a cost of £6,000. The clock winding was made automatic by Smith’s of Derby later in the year. In January 1999 the building work was done. The clock weights, which descended into a hole in the floor beneath a cupboard in the bell-ringing chamber, were removed. The resulting empty hole was about four feet deep below floor level.

THE ‘TIME CAPSULE’                           Prepared on Tuesday December 1^ST 1998 by Rushden & District History Society

A ‘Time Capsule’ prepared by the Rushden and District History Society was sealed on Tuesday, December 1st 1998. It was lowered into the hole, when the building work was being carried out, on Monday, January 25th 1999. The cavity was then filled with gravel and it was topped with York Stone slabs. The Capsule’s many contents show something of the way of life in Rushden near the end of the 20th century. On behalf of the Church a copy of the 1994 Church Directory, a Church Guidebook, a December copy of the magazine ‘Grapevine’ and one of the December notice sheets were included.

The Capsule is 27 inches long and has a diameter of 14 inches.The outer capsule consists of four sections of Hepworth units, each with a rubber seal (they are sections of a sewer pipe). It has wooden ends made of teak which are sealed with a water-proof sealant, a special glue obtained from the ‘Building Centre’ in Fitzwilliam Street, Rushden. Inside the capsule are three containers – A large glass sweet jar, a glass fruit preserving jar and a plastic drain pipe lined with cardboard and sealed at each end with two plastic pieces. Both jars are also sealed.

The Contents:

A message from the History Society The latest Internet print-outs of the Society A History Society bookmark The latest 'Risdene Echo' (Society's Journal) Two of our Local Walks leaflets Programme card of History Society Local postcards - views of Rushden Photograph of Rushden Hall by Vic Childs Photograph of blacksmith, Jim Guinee East Northants Guide Book with maps Rushden Golf Club AGM information 'Views of Old Rushden' book by E. Fowell 'Midland Railway - The Rushden & Higham Ferrers Branch' book by Peter Butler 'Evening Telegraph' of December 1st 1998 'Daily Mail' of December 1st 1998 Nene Valley News (ENC) December 1998 Evening Telegraph Property Supplement Powerhouse catalogue - electrical products Great Mills catalogue - DIY, gardening Post Office Christmas Mail Information Methodist Church 75th Anniversary booklet Guide Book of St. Mary's Church	Programme of the 'Castle' Wellingborough A 'Peter Crisp' newsletter - local store A 'Wills' Autumn Offers' booklet - local store Dr. Marten's Boots & Shoes publicity booklet Argos catalogue 1998 - assorted goods available Harry Martin's clicker's knife (shoemaking) Stud box with collar stud from Audrey Abbott Hand-drawn view cards - Amenities Society WW2 award for collecting books - Greta Burt Northants Calendar of Events in 1998 (tourism) Evening Telegraph 'TV Week' (television prog.) Bone china plate with picture of St. Mary's Church & War Memorial Story of the winding of the Church Clock to 1998 St. Mary's Church Directory of 1994 (photos) Wrappers for chocolate, crisps, Hula Hoops etc 'Grapevine' December 1998 - Church magazine 3 items - Rushden Historical Transport Society: Poster from Cavalcade May 1998 Brass Plaque from Cavalcade May 1998 'Olde Wheels' magazine the latest edition E.T. 'Sport on Monday' including football news about 'Rushden & Diamonds' team Information - Splash Pool & Pemberton Centre ENC (Council) travel tokens - 20p & 50p	Information leaflets of St. Mary's Church Programme card of Amenities Society Programme card of Collectors' Circle Coins of the realm Boy's Brigade hat badge A Tamagotchi 'Cyber Pet' (dead) * A Yo-Yo - popular toy of 1998 ** Scout badges from Audrey Abbott A red Remembrance Day poppy A pair of tights A Weetabix packet A cigarette packet A scratch card (Daily Mail) Plastic shampoo bottle (Organics) Two aluminium foil milk bottle tops Catalogue of Keith Hill - aviation artist National Lottery ticket Credit and Cash card Pair of spectacles A phone card Advertising leaflets from local shops Till receipts from local supermarkets Special offers of colourful food items
*TAMAGOTCHI - A Cyber pet (computerised toy) - Powered by a small battery. It is a "pet" and must be kept alive – instructions are enclosed. It was popular in 1997.	**YO-YO : It is at least fifty years since the ‘YO-YO’ was first introduced. It had been forgotten for a time and now the latest one has been introduced. Recently there have been competitions to find the ‘YO-YO’ champions. The instructions are enclosed. It was very popular in 1998.

From the Evening Telegraph, Tuesday February 20th 1990 Three ‘Time Capsules’ have been planted at the site of the new £3 million swimming pool in Rushden. The first has an official guide of East Northants, a year book, two photographs, two letters and a community charge form. The second capsule holds a list of people present at the ceremony, an edition of the Evening Telegraph – purchased at the last minute, a plan of the old 1928 swimming pool and an East Northants tie. The third capsule contains an Alfred McAlpine tie and other information.

Evening Telegraph, 5th April 2000 Imperial Court - Time capsule with a cuddly toy... A Time capsule has been buried to mark the start of work on a new housing complex for the elderly. At present, it is just a muddy building site, but by the beginning of next year a £3m state-of-the-art sheltered housing block will be built in Duck Street, Rushden. The 41 flats are being built by Touchstone Housing Association and will be managed by ExtraCare, the charity which already manages Rosewood Court, Wellingborough, and Sunley Court, Kettering. Inside the capsule is a cuddly toy, a stone inscribed with the ExtraCare logo, and a copy of the Evening Telegraph's sister paper the Citizen. The development will be adorned by replicas of the murals, painted by local schoolchildren, which are currently on the hoardings on Duck Street. Touchstone programme manager Ray Brown said: "The scheme will offer a wide range of facilities, including a fitness suite, Jacuzzi and spa area." The flats will open in February.

Time Team - from left, district Councillor Anna Saunston, County Councillor Robina Foot, Andy Hillier of ExtraCare and, with the time capsule, Ray Brown of Touchstone Housing