Book Borrowed 150 Years Ago Returned to Australian Library with Massive Potential Late Fee

A book borrowed in the 19th century from an Australian library and found hidden in a sealed fireplace has been returned after 150 years, with waived late fees that could have reached over 73,000 PLN.

An Unusual Discovery in a Sealed Fireplace

A book found in a fireplace was returned to a library in Australia after 150 years. According to the BBC, it is believed that the person responsible for holding onto the volume was a stonemason apprentice who previously worked on the construction of the parliament in London.

The cloth-bound book, “The Antiquities of Athens,” was borrowed from the library in the coastal town of Kiama, approximately 120 km south of Sydney, in the mid-1870s. It was discovered in a tea chest that had spent decades inside a boarded-up fireplace, remaining somewhat damp but otherwise in good condition.

Tracing the Stonemason Apprentice from London

77-year-old Ross Simmons believes the book may have been borrowed by his grandfather, John Simmons, who was working at the time as a stonemason apprentice in the London borough of Westminster. In 1857, John Simmons, then 27 years old, emigrated to Australia, initially living in the suburbs of Sydney before relocating to Kiama to oversee the construction of a church.

About 30 years ago, during home renovations, a box containing books and other family memorabilia was found in the fireplace, though Ross Simmons only recently examined its contents.

Outdated Regulations and the Calculation of a Gigantic Fine

On the second page of one of the books was a library stamp, with its regulations printed on the inner cover. The rules stated that only one book could be borrowed at a time, unless proof was provided that at least six family members could read, in which case the limit increased to three books.

According to the regulations, a fine of three pence was charged for each day a book was kept overdue. Library staff calculated that over 150 years, the fine would have grown to 97 Australian dollars—which, adjusted for inflation, would currently amount to 28,000 Australian dollars (approx. 73,6 K PLN). However, the institution decided to waive the fee.

Enormous Interest in the Unique Keepsake

Library director Michelle Hudson stated that the find generated immense interest, with many people traveling from afar just to hold the book. She remarked that it is a lovely little book tied to an extraordinary story.

She added that in 1872, the city authorities allocated 200 pounds to establish a library containing 1,000 books, and the volume discovered in the fireplace bore the number 506.