Final Festival and the Time Capsule Location: South Tyneside
The Words From The Wise Time Capsule has been on display around South Tyneside and took pride of place at the final Festival Day in Jarrow.
The Words From The Wise Time Capsule has been specially commissioned from local training provider South Tyneside Enterprises and made by Stewart Rae who has since started his own business Timeless woodcraft It is made from recycled European Oak and has polished brass plates in each panel. The inscription on the lid explains that the box is not to be opened again until the year 2104. All of the handwritten manuscripts gathered during the project will be placed into the capsule, along with other material from the project. Local photographer Alan White was commissioned to to take a series of photographs of Jarrow and Hebburn for the capsule. Included are spectacular aerial shots of the towns.
The Capsule has recently been on tour. Displayed in South Shields Central Library, Jarrow Library and Hebburn Library and has attracted a great deal of attention locally and in the press.
The Capsule took centre stage at the final festival event at the Happy Circle Club in St Peter's Church Hall, Jarrow in December. This is where the project had begun two years previous. The event was a rich mix of musical entertainment, poetry and readings. Jeanette Dunn and Muriel Turner from the South Tyneside Artists Celebration Tryst provided some authentic variety hall songs accompanied by local entertainer Henry Bloem. Ann Alexander, from Arts Advance, sang a great favourite from the original show - a moving and unaccompanied rendition of the traditional Tyneside song, Waters Of Tyne.
Members of Arts Advance took turns during the evening to read extracts from the newly published Words From The Wise Book, beginning with the late Muriel Costelloe's remarkable account of her childhood in Jarrow and of the Great War, her story begins" Oh Yes! I remember zeppelins..."
The Words From The Wise booklet has proved to be very popular. The forward has been written by MP for Jarrow Mr Stephen Hepburn and the stories range from memories of the early 1900's through to the 1960's, all illustrated with old photographs and drawings. The booklets were on display alongside the capsule at the festival. At the end of the event, everyone in the audience felt they had contributed something to the project; many of the people in the hall had their memories preserved in the time capsule. All participants took home a souvenir booklet.
Selected extracts from the recorded reminiscences are published on the Words From The Wise talking book. This is in cd format and is a mixture of live recordings and narrated stories and music. The books and cd's are being distributed back to the clubs and homes who participated in the project.
A final short ceremony will see the capsule officially sealed and will mark the end of this stage of the Words From The Wise project. A newsletter has already been published which details the history of the project and is available through local libraries.
A video outlining the Words From The Wise project and containing footage from the reminiscence shows and interviews has been produced by Roger Burgess.
Finally, thank you to everyone who has helped us to make this project a so productive and a great success!
The Words From The Wise Time Capsule has been specially commissioned from local training provider South Tyneside Enterprises and made by Stewart Rae who has since started his own business 
The Capsule took centre stage at the final festival event at the Happy Circle Club in St Peter's Church Hall, Jarrow in December. This is where the project had begun two years previous. The event was a rich mix of musical entertainment, poetry and readings. Jeanette Dunn and Muriel Turner from the South Tyneside Artists Celebration Tryst provided some authentic variety hall songs accompanied by local entertainer Henry Bloem. Ann Alexander, from Arts Advance, sang a great favourite from the original show - a moving and unaccompanied rendition of the traditional Tyneside song, Waters Of Tyne.
Members of Arts Advance took turns during the evening to read extracts from the newly published Words From The Wise Book, beginning with the late Muriel Costelloe's remarkable account of her childhood in Jarrow and of the Great War, her story begins" Oh Yes! I remember zeppelins..."
The Words From The Wise booklet has proved to be very popular. The forward has been written by MP for Jarrow Mr Stephen Hepburn and the stories range from memories of the early 1900's through to the 1960's, all illustrated with old photographs and drawings. The booklets were on display alongside the capsule at the festival. 
A final short ceremony will see the capsule officially sealed and will mark the end of this stage of the Words From The Wise project. A newsletter has already been published which details the history of the project and is available through local libraries.