IN 1887, Queen Victoria celebrated her Golden Jubilee, British police clashed with pro-Irish independence protesters during Bloody Sunday and Sherlock Holmes made his first appearance in print.

But that year has taken on a new significance for the Alma pub, in Kings Head Street, Harwich, after the discovery of a piece of wood dated January 13, 1887 and signed by H Kingsford, Landlord Nick May discovered the time capsule hidden behind beams when carrying out renovations to the first floor of the pub.

After some amateur sleuthing, he discovered the man’s first name was Henry, but wants help from Harwich residents to find out more about the builder and his association with the pub.

Mr May said: “I think he was one of the people who was working on the job.

“We looked this chap up and discovered he lived in Bathside and then he moved up to Dovercourt.

“The fashion must have been to have no beams, as the whole thing had been covered up.”

According to Harwich pub historian Peter Goodwin, there is no record of a landlord by that name. He said: “I would suspect this gentlemen is possibly a builder or a carpenter. I will try to find out who he was.”

The Alma was originally built as a merchantman’s house in 1464 and was then owned by Captain Twitt, relative of Thomas Twytt, a merchant and brewer in 1599.

It began trading as an ale house around 1873 and was owned by Charles Cunningham, before becoming a Tolly Cobbold pub.

Mr Goodwin said the pub may have a royal connection.

He said: “It’s said Queen Elizabeth I stayed in a merchant’s house in the High Street, which is now known as Kings Head Street.

“The Alma was a merchant’s house, so it is possible she could have stayed there.”

Do you know anything about Henry Kingsford? Contact the newsdesk on 01255 221221.