ARTEFACTS including former Prime Minister Harold Wilson's pipe and the tie of businessman and TV star John Harvey Jones were among those pulled out of a time capsule that had been sealed in the University of Bradford for 25 years.

The time capsule was buried on April 12, 1991 to mark the university's 25th anniversary, and was today re-opened as part of the 50th anniversary celebrations.

Other items in the capsule included a copy of the Telegraph & Argus from the day, a piece of music written especially for the 25th anniversary and a calculator. Those who unpacked the items were amazed to find the calculator still worked, despite being buried for a quarter of a century.

Later this year the capsule will be re-buried, to be opened in another 25 years, in 2041.

Over the next few months students and staff at the university will be asked what they think should go in the capsule to represent life in 2016.

The capsule which was locked by former Vice-Chancellor Professor David Johns in 1991.

A crowd has assembled in the University atrium yesterday afternoon, with speakers telling the crowd about the different artefacts, and how a competition was run to decide what to put in the capsule.

The pipe had been donated by two time Prime Minister and first Chancellor of the University Harold Wilson, who was in poor health at the time the capsule was buried. Despite being in the capsule for 25 years, the pipe still smelled of tobacco.

Larger than life character Sir John Harvey-Jones was chancellor of the university from 1986 to 1991. The chairman of Imperial Chemical Industries, he was best known by the public for his BBC television show, Troubleshooter, in which he advised struggling businesses. He had donated was of his trademark huge ties to go in the capsule.

When it came to looking for the capsule's location it was found not under the grounds as originally thought, but in a safe. However, the key to open the capsule had been lost in the past 25 years, and so locksmiths had to be called to get the contents inside.

Other items in the capsule include a copy of Shakespeare's sonnet XXXVIII that includes the line 'Give Intervention Light', the university motto, the university's annual report from 1990, a musical score of Jubilate by the University Fellow of Music Graham Coatman, composed for the 25th anniversary, a postgraduate prospectus from 1991 and a menu from the campus refectory.

It also contained items produced by the university, including a disposable plastic surgical retractor developed by Professor David Sharpe from the Bradford Burns Unit and a piece of high-temperature super conducting helix designed by the Department of Electrical Engineering.

Professor Bill McCarthy, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Operations) said: "In 1991 Britain had an economy that was struggling to come out of a recession, the Bank of England was chasing corrupt bankers, there was a British astronaut in space and a Tory Prime Minister was besieged by a war over Britain's place in the EU. How things change.

"We are going to re-seal the box in October and want new ideas for what we can put in it."

Alison Cullingford from the university's special collections library, told the assembled crowd about the different artefacts. Talking about the calculator she said: "Amazingly even though it is 25 years old it still works."

Professor Peter Excell, who was a professor of electrical engineering when the capsule was first buried, said: "The pipe is a bit of social history. You never saw Harold Wilson actually smoke it but he always had a pipe in his teeth. It was the done thing back then.

"I remember at the time thinking 25 years wasn't a very long time to leave the capsule, and to me 1991 seems like yesterday. But if you left it 50 years you wouldn't have people left to come in and talk about the items."

Vice-Chancellor, Professor Brian Cantor, said: “This event provides us with an opportunity to reflect on our rich past, and look forward to an exciting future, as we continue to develop as one of the world's great technology universities.

"Many of our staff will remember the capsule being locked and it’s a great chance for friends and colleagues to come together and share their memories of the university.”

The items have also been scanned by a 3D scanner, and are available to view on http://www.bradford.ac.uk/50/time-capsule/