Tollcross Primary pupils bury historic time capsule at the King’s

Last week, pupils from Tollcross Primary School donned their hi-vis vests and hard hats to help us celebrate a significant moment in the history of the King’s Theatre – burying a time capsule to celebrate the past, present, and future of both the theatre and our local community.  

The time capsule contains postcards written by the pupils as part of a creative challenge, where they were asked to imagine life in 2062 – which will be the 150th anniversary of Tollcross Primary School and the 156th anniversary of the King’s. Over 200 pupils submitted postcards, of which 19 were selected for inclusion in the time capsule.

Responses ranged from the climate-conscious to unicorns and rainbows, in a positive reflection of the future of Tollcross and the King's Theatre. The pupils’ predictions for the future included robot dogs, Scotland joining Finland and even Tollcross Primary being rebuilt in the shape of a massive book. Other messages represented the pupils’ strong social conscience, expressing support for Ukraine and the furthering of LGBTQ+ rights.

Additional items selected for the time capsule include: brass letter plaques originally used for seat rows in the King’s, a ‘for the future of the King’s’ greeting card signed by Capital Theatres staff, illustrations of preferred hobbies from Primary 5 and 6 pupils at Tollcross Primary School, images of favourite novels including The Nowhere Emporium and George’s Marvellous Medicine, and puzzle pieces from a jigsaw of the Dreamworks film Abominable. 

Fiona Gibson, Chief Executive of Capital Theatres said:

“The Tollcross community has played a crucial role in the King’s redevelopment from the very beginning, so we are absolutely thrilled to share this historic moment with the pupils of Tollcross Primary School. The driving force behind the King’s project is our desire to preserve this beloved theatre for generations to come and it has been inspiring to see this come to fruition in the form of the time capsule.  

... I really enjoyed seeing the pupils’ fantastic hopes and predictions for the future captured on their postcards. With their passion and creativity, it is clear the future of the King’s and Tollcross Primary School is in very good hands. I am sure that the future custodians of the theatre will enjoy reading their contributions when the time capsule is rediscovered.”