1946 Time Capsule found at KGH

Last spring, demolition work related to the expansion of the Cancer Centre of Southeastern Ontario at KGH exposed a time capsule in the cornerstone of the Victory wing. The 12-inch-long hand-rolled brass tube was removed by construction workers.  Inside was a sheaf of old, yellowed papers, including a copy of the 1945 KGH Annual Report, and an edition of the Kingston Whig-Standard dated Feb. 25, 1946.

Turns out the big story back in 1946 is the same one today – the redevelopment of the hospitals. On page 10, a headline reads “KGH launches Victory Progress Campaign,” the grandfather of today’s $70-million Together We Can campaign. The $300,000Victory Campaign eventually led to the construction of the Victory wing at KGH.

The Victory time capsule is the third such find at KGH.  In 2005, two time capsules were discovered in the course of redevelopment. 

When construction workers were connecting GIDRU to the Empire Wing, completed in 1912, a capsule was removed from the cornerstone. Unfortunately, the contents were brittle and almost beyond recognition. The box and its contents were turned over to the KGH Archive for safekeeping.

In October 2005, the hospital discovered a 1950s time capsule in the cornerstone of the Angada wing. The tube was unearthed by construction workers in the midst of a four-week project to repair and replace much of the old limestone.