Renovation project in Scotland uncovers message in a bottle from 1967


Workers doing renovations at the Victorian Market Hall in Inverness, Scotland, found a message in a bottle from a man who worked on a previous construction project in 1967. Photo courtesy of the Highland Council

Dec. 23 (UPI) -- Workers renovating a market hall in Scotland found a message in a bottle from a mason who worked on the building in 1967.

Jo Murray, manager of the Victorian Market in Inverness, said workers doing renovations at the Victorian Market Hall found a message from a man who worked on the last set of major renovations, which were completed in 1967.

"We expected to find some interesting things at demolition stage of the build, and we were not disappointed. Following the last major piece of work done in 1967 we found a message in a bottle from a proud workman," Murray said in a news release from the Highland Council.

"In an empty quarter bottle of vodka, neatly buried underneath the floor, was a note written by J. T. T. Thomson, a mason from Shetland. The note reads 'J. T. T. Thomson. Mason. Murness, Uyeasound, Unst, Shetland. Inverness address 40 Deny St. Age 41. Finished building and tiling 20.6.67,'" Murray said.

The renovation project began in January 2021 and is expected to be completed by mid-2022.