Book hidden in fireplace returned to Australian library 150 years overdue
Summary
A book borrowed about 150 years ago from a library in Kiama, Australia, has been returned after being found hidden inside a sealed fireplace. The book, about ancient Greek architecture, likely belonged to a family ancestor who worked as a stonemason and architect connected to the London Houses of Parliament before moving to Australia.Key Facts
- The book is called Antiquities of Athens and was borrowed in the mid-1870s from Kiama Library.
- It was hidden inside a tea chest placed behind a boarded-up fireplace for decades.
- Ross Simmons, 77, believes his great-grandfather John Simmons borrowed the book while working in London.
- John Simmons was apprenticed to stonemasons who helped build the Houses of Parliament in London before emigrating to Australia in 1857.
- The book is cloth-bound with some water damage but still in good condition.
- Library borrowing rules at the time limited how many books members could borrow and fined late returns three pence per week.
- The fine for this book would amount to about AU$28,000 today, but it has been waived.
- The book’s discovery has attracted public interest, with people visiting the library to see it.
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