A plumber has been reunited with a collection of objects he left behind during repair work at York’s Bootham Bar almost five decades ago.
Mick Colley, 62, was presented with playing cards, notes, a Park Drive cigarette packet, and a 10 pence piece which he had left under lead roofing in 1979 while working as a 16-year-old apprentice.
Now employed by Network Rail, Mr Colley said the discovery brought back vivid memories of his early days on the job.
The objects were uncovered during ongoing conservation work at Bootham Bar, which began in June.
City of York Council were then able to track Mr Colley down, whose name was written on the Park Drive cigarette packet.
Following his apprenticeship at Bootham Bar, Mr Colley later worked for York Council, carrying out housing repairs.
The 62-year-old said he and his workmate at the time, Jack Summerville, left the objects behind as a “nod to the future.”
Mr Colley visited the site on Tuesday, August 5, to view the rediscovered items. The experience led him to reflect on how much conservation and maintenance work has evolved over the years.
“This brings back a lot of memories,” he said. “It was a slog and hard work but it wasn’t often we got to work on buildings like this.
“It was Jack’s idea to leave the things behind, he finished the cigarettes and we wrote our names on the packet.
“As soon as I saw the pictures of everything I knew it was the ones we’d left.
“Times have changed a lot since then, people say things like health and safety have gone too far but they’ve moved on and for good reason.”
Councillor Pete Kilbane, the council’s deputy leader and culture spokesperson, said the praised the craftsmanship that has preserved York’s historic structures.
“This is more than just a historical curiosity,” he said. “It’s a tribute to the generations of skilled workers who’ve cared for our city’s heritage.”
The items are set to be returned to their original spot, beneath the lead roofing.
The conservation works at Bootham Bar include preserving the lead and timber roofing following water leaks, as well as stripping modern elements of the timber structure to help preserve more historic parts.
The project also includes work to conserve the gateway and medieval city walls and is scheduled for completion by December.
