Mike Hume, a theatre donor and enthusiast, made a remarkable discovery while on a behind-the-scenes tour of Edinburgh’s King’s Theatre. During the tour, he found a 119-year-old message in a bottle hidden behind an ornate decoration above the stage, according to BBC.
Hume, 48, was on scaffolding 40 feet (12 meters) above the stage when he reached into a gap and uncovered the century-old bottle. BBC quoted him saying, “It really was like a scene out of Indiana Jones.” He described the moment, adding, “It was a bit damp and there was all this crumbly plaster and stuff in there – then my hand stumbled on this solid object and I pulled out this glass bottle.”
The bottle’s top had been dipped in plaster to keep it sealed, but Hume could see a note inside. By using his phone to take a photograph of the folded note, he managed to make out the name “W S Cruikshank”, the contractor responsible for building the Edwardian theatre.
The message inside the bottle
Theatre officials, unable to open the bottle after its discovery on December 6, enlisted specialists to carefully remove the top. Over time, the note inside had become glued together, requiring experts to use special techniques and chemicals to separate it.
BBC Scotland News sought assistance from the genealogy service Findmypast to identify the individuals who left the note. Among them was William Stewart Cruickshank, a well-known Edinburgh builder who oversaw the theatre’s construction in 1906, and architect John Daniel Swanston, who established his own practice in 1895 and specialized in theatre and cinema design.
Other names on the list included architects James Davidson and John Tulloch, draughtsman John Alexander Cameron, and plasterers George King, William Begg, John Hutchinson, Andrew S. Law, and William Hunter.
Additional details uncovered by Findmypast about these individuals have been shared with the theatre, which intends to showcase them in a new exhibition alongside the bottle and note.
Redevelopment of the Theatre
Originally built in 1905 at a cost of £50,000, the King’s Theatre is currently undergoing a £40.7 million redevelopment that began in 2022. The renovation project includes the installation of two lifts, the widening of staircases, upgrades to the auditorium, and the addition of a new control room and ventilation system.
Abby Pendlebury, the theatre’s heritage engagement manager, described the discovery as “incredibly thrilling,” according to BBC. She emphasized, “It’s showing how personal this was to so many people and how there is a real human connection going back. It’s just really beautiful to see.”
The King’s Theatre is scheduled to reopen in the spring of 2026.
