A piece of history containing unique treasures has been unearthed at an east Auckland sports club. Dozens of people recently gathered at Bucklands Beach Bowling Club to celebrate the digging up and opening of a time capsule buried on its property 25 years ago. The object had been placed in the ground jointly by Sir Lloyd Elsmore, the former mayor of Manukau City and a foundation patron of the club, and Ngaire Thompson, the then-president of its ladies’ club, in the Millennium year 2000. Club president Ted Senner said the time capsule contained 71 years of “treasured history” from the club’s very beginnings on land originally owned by Alfred Buckland. “Then, Bucklands Beach was a burgeoning community and bowling and tennis were growing sporting and social activities,” Senner said. “The land on which this club now stands was gifted to the then-Domain Board, now Auckland Council, by the Bucklands Syndicate who were splitting up the Peninsula, and the bowling and tennis clubs were established for the community at that time. “The men’s bowling club was started in 1929, along with the tennis club. “The Bucklands Beach Women’s Bowling Club was started in 1947 by about 20 women, and they paid green fees to the men’s club. “When the men’s club went into financial difficulties some time later, it was the ladies who sorted them out, so well done ladies.” That last detail drew shouts of “what’s changed?” and much laughter from the club’s women members present for the time capsule’s opening. Senner explained more of the club’s history, including that in the 1970s its membership topped 300 people and there was a waiting list to join. New clubrooms were built in about 1972 and its artificial playing surfaces were started in the late 1970s. The club’s members have won national and international championships. And over the years it’s hosted visiting overseas bowls teams from countries including Argentina, Wales, Botswana and Australia. “Apparently the Argentinians were a lot of fun,” Senner said. “We couldn’t speak Spanish, they couldn’t speak English, and everything was done by sign language.” Senner said some of the rules the ladies’ club used to have now seem a “bit draconian”. “Dress was only white, skirts must be worn below the knee, blouse sleeves must be a minimum of five inches, and a doctor’s certificate was required if you wanted to wear slacks.” Club member Pat Macefield, a former singles and pairs champion as well as ladies’ president in 1993, was called on to open the time capsule following a toast with a glass of bubbles. The capsule contained an edition of the New Zealand Herald newspaper published on Monday, January 3, 2000, with images from New Year’s Eve celebrations from around the country on its front page. Inside it also were numerous items including a historic lease document and the club’s 1999/2000 programme and members list booklet. The club’s members celebrated the occasion with a shared morning tea and a cake.