Time capsule stuffed with Communist literature found in roof in Parliament after lying hidden for 70 years

A TIME capsule stuffed full of Communist literature has been discovered in a roof in Parliament after lying hidden for nearly 70 years.

The secret stash of leftie newspapers, demands for workers’ rights and even Communist Party membership cards was sealed inside a lead pipe by labourers repairing damage to historic Westminster Hall after the War.

A time capsule stuffed with Communist literature has been found in a roof in Parliament

The leftie content was sealed inside a lead pipe by labourers repairing war damage to Westminster Hall in 1950

It remained hidden since 1950 but was uncovered by conservationists carrying out urgent renovations to the historic building after a downpour last year.

The contents of the treasure trove have now been painstakingly examined by experts in Parliament’s archives and are made public for the first time in The Sun.

Justin Hills, Senior Responsible Owner for the Westminster Hall Project, said: “This time capsule is a wonderful insight into the lives of the very skilled team who rebuilt the Westminster Hall roof after the war.

“You get a real sense of the camaraderie they felt in wanting to be remembered for their craftmanship.

“The repairs which were completed almost 70 years ago ensured that Westminster Hall, which is Parliament’s front door to public visitors, could remain a central part of British parliament and history.”

The time capsule appears to have been put together by a team of labourers without anyone else knowing about it, and provides a fascinating glimpse into their world – and their revolutionary politics.

‘LABOUR NOT RED’

Inside the two-feet-long lead pipe were several booklets belonging to members of the Communist Party of Great Britain – which at the time had two MPs – containing stamps to prove they had paid their subs.

A ticket advertised a New Year’s Eve football match at Lambeth Communist Party Athletics Sports & Social Club, where two winning teams could win the generous sum of £4.

Giving a clue as to when the pipe was placed in a wall cavity, it contained Communist newspaper The Daily Worker dated January 2nd 1950, along with a copy of a magazine called Russia Today that featured a profile of then-Soviet leader Stalin.

However it is thought that not all of the construction crew were on the extreme far-left, as the time capsule also contained a thin sheet of lead inscribed with the words “Labour not red”.

There was also a draft letter to the labourers’ boss, the Clerk of Works, setting out the workers’ demands for continuing employment, as well as a payslip showing they got extra for working at height.

They also put in bottles of varnish and the label for a packet of tobacco called “Special Nosegay”.

It is thought that the time capsule may have been put together by a south London man called Giacomo Rusca, whose name appears in the Communist Party booklets.

The socialist stash was buried in the roof of Westminster Hall, which over the centuries has seen the trials of King Charles I and Guy Fawkes, as well as Winston Churchill and the Queen Mother lying in state.