It was maintenance as usual at Selwyn College, part of England's Cambridge University.
Founded in 1882, the college isn't nearly as old as Cambridge, which was founded in 1209. However, that doesn't mean it doesn't have some history up its sleeves — or, more accurately, behind its walls.
In January, the maintenance crew was doing a renovation in one of the college's buildings. Behind a wall, they discovered a tiny room that had been hidden behind the walls for years.
This happens more often than you might think, with people discovering everything from valuable baseball cards to links to the Underground Railroad.
The little room, which used to be called a "gyp" room, was a small room where house servants would prepare tea and toast for the students each morning.
The habit of having breakfast prepared fell away during the 20th century, and the little room was eventually walled up and forgotten — until now.
When uncovered, the maintenance crew found a Victorian era iron stove, as well as a collection of postcards and cigarette cards that had belonged to someone who worked at Selwyn. There was also an old photo of Selwyn's chapel, which still stands today and hasn't changed much.
The stamps on the postcards were dated from 1912 to 1916, making this hidden room a perfect time capsule of Selwyn a century ago.
Check out the finds below. You never know what might be lurking behind your walls!
[H/T: Dusty Old Thing]
Founded in 1882, Selwyn College is part of prestigious Cambridge University in England.
In addition to having plenty of history, it also has a little history in unexpected places, as one team of maintenance workers discovered in January.
While doing some refurbishments in a dormitory, they uncovered an old, walled-off room containing this iron stove, as well as a collection of photos, letters, and postcards belonging to an employee who worked here in the 1910s.
The room and its stove would have been used by house servants in Selwyn's earlier days to prepare breakfast for the students, usually tea and toast.
Besides the stove, there was also a collection of cigarette cards, which were colorful images that came with packs of cigarettes.
There were also a few photos, like this one, although where this photo might have come from has yet to be determined.
The paper items are in great shape, too, considering they've been trapped behind a wall for one hundred years.
They also offer a little insight into what life was like at Selwyn in 1916. We can see fashions, art styles, and references to everyday life in the images.
Cigarette cards also sometimes came with little facts printed on them. This one details Tewkesbury and features the city's seal.
The back of the card, meanwhile, explains the significance of the seal and some of the city's history.
Others acted as small forms of entertainment. These Player's cigarettes came with images that showed life aboard a ship in the nineteenth century.
They were touted as "authentic" and offered a look into life on the seas, or whatever the theme might have been at the time.
Most interesting of all were the personal items, like this postcard. The stamp and postmark allowed the finders to date the items, but unfortunately, the message is no longer legible.
There was also a photo of Selwyn's chapel in a paper frame, looking not very different from how it does today.
The stove and room will be walled back up for the time being, to keep it safe until a proper display can be created for it and the rest of the finds.
Meanwhile, Selwyn's archivist is working to track down descendants of the students who lived in this dorm at the time to see if we can learn more about them.
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