A thorough deep-clean of the Ashburton war memorial in Baring Square West has this week uncovered two time capsules, one of which has laid undisturbed in the cenotaph for almost 100 years.

Behind one of the tiles that are being carefully removed and cleaned by hand, the team from Stoneface Ltd came across two airtight copper boxes encased in the memorial.

The first time capsule was laid when the memorial was unveiled in June 1928. It is reported to include the names of the 97,335 members of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force who served overseas during World War I.​

Pictured: Simon Taylor and Robert Stokowski from Stoneface Ltd handing the World War I and II time capsules over to Apryl Morden ​and Connor Lysaght at the Ashburton Museum.

​It is also said to include a copy of the proclamation of peace issued by King George V and several local books, newspapers and items from the time. Jubilee booklets and catalogues from the Ashburton A&P Association and Ashburton County are inside, as is a history of Ashburton compiled by the Ashburton AA and a Māori​ souvenir of New Zealand booklet.

Schools and churches contributed with magazines and souvenir booklets. Samples of wheat and woollen products produced in the district are also inside.