SOMEONE, more than 100 years ago, had the foresight to bury a time capsule in the walls of a Hampshire workhouse.

Now the contents have come to light a century and two world wars later.

As previously reported in the Daily Echo, the metal box was bricked up inside Leigh House Hospital in Cuckoo Bushes Lane, Chandler's Ford, when the building, which started life as a workhouse, was built in 1899.

It was the year Southampton FC won the Southern League and Queen Victoria was on the throne.

Alfred Hitchcock, Ernest Hemingway and Al Capone were born.

Robert Bunsen - who designed the eponymous burner - and Johann Strauss died. Robert Cecil, the second Marquis of Salisbury, was prime minister and Aston Villa won the football league.

Earlier this month a demolition team had gingerly removed bricks from the hospital wall so as not to damage the box, before the special opening ceremony attended by councillors, historians and developers.

Inside was a copy of the Southern Daily Mail, which led with British gold that had been stolen by Boer farmers from a train they held up in the Transvaal, South Africa.

The capsule contained another local paper, the Hampshire Advertiser - forerunner of the Daily Echo - which put coverage of the America's Cup on its front page.

Three national newspapers were also packed in - The Times, The Daily News and The Daily Graphic. The main story of the day in all was the Boer War.

Now the capsule's resting place is being bulldozed by David Wilson Homes to make way for 98 houses as well as roads on the site, which covers 12 acres.

Local historian Barbara Hillier, who has written books on Chandler's Ford, told the developers about the capsule following research into the old building.

Councillor Godfrey Olsen, who was present, said: "One of the newspapers I found very interesting because it was reporting about the America's Cup, which is of course on now.

"People were saying that they were receiving telegrams to tell them which boat was in front on the other side of the world.

"I was also interested in the price of houses, as an ex-estate agent. You could buy a pair of houses for £385 or for £575 a detached property with five bedrooms.

"This compares to £149,950 for a two-bedroom apartment that you can buy today at the Pirelli site!

"I really was quite excited to think that they had been found in such excellent condition."

The contents will soon go on display at Eastleigh Museum.

Leigh House Hospital - set up in 1966 - was well regarded for its work with youngsters suffering a range of psychiatric problems, including slimming disorders.

The unit has been relocated to the former Victoria hospital site on Alresford Road, Winchester.