An astonishing incident occurred in Australia: a book that disappeared from a public library about 150 years ago was discovered in a sealed stovepipe during home renovations. A local resident found it in a tea caddy and subsequently returned it to the library.
According to a CNN report, a book approximately 150 years old was returned to the library in the town of Kiama, Australia. It was found while renovation work was being carried out on a private residence. Local resident Ross Simmons discovered the book in a tea box that had been sealed with bricks inside an unused stovepipe. He then handed the find over to the Kiama library.
The library manager, Michelle Hudson, noted that she had never seen such an old book returned before. During the renovation, Ross Simmons found a sealed tea caddy in the stove. When the box was opened, an antique book was inside. The condition of the book made it clear that it was not a common edition. Verification showed that it was the book 'Antiquity of Athens,' published in 1858.
Simmons speculated that the book might be related to his family, believing his great-great-grandfather John Simmons, who lived in the house at the time, might have taken it. However, this is only a supposition, as there are no records of the last borrower. The Kiama Library began operations in 1872, and its initial collection consisted of about 1000 books, including 'Antiquity of Athens,' which was cataloged under number 506.
Michelle Hudson believes the book might have gone missing shortly after the library opened, but the exact reasons for its disappearance and why it was not returned remain unknown. The main issue is that borrowing records from the 1870s are no longer kept by the library. Hudson added that the book itself contains no information about who borrowed it last.
If this book were subject to the old rules in effect today, the late fee would be quite substantial. Inside the book are old library regulations stipulating a fine of three pence per week for overdue returns. Considering the nearly 150-year delay and inflation, the library would estimate this fine at approximately 28,000 Australian dollars, equivalent to about 19,500 US dollars.
Nevertheless, Ross Simmons was unconcerned about having to pay any old debt on behalf of his family. The 77-year-old Simmons joked that he had spent his life dealing with disgruntled customers and was prepared to meet any irritated librarian from his family.
This book is not only old but also contains the library's rules from that era, some of which seem unusual today. For instance, it allowed a family of at least six people, all of whom could read, to borrow 'up to three books.' This meant that to obtain a book at the time, one needed not just to be a member but also to have an educated family. Another rule stated that a person visiting the library while intoxicated would not be issued books, which differs from modern rules where a ban on entry due to behavior is applied only if the behavior disturbs other patrons.
Perhaps it was because of these rules that the book was never returned. According to the norms of the time, if a person already had outstanding debts for other books, they were not entitled to take new ones. Michelle Hudson jokingly suggested that perhaps this is why no one felt the need to return the book. However, the true reason remains a mystery. Ross Simmons also noted that he does not understand why his English ancestor, John Simmons, did not return the book, given that John Simmons previously held the position of alderman in the local municipality of Kiama.
After almost a century and a half, the book has finally returned to the library, but it will no longer be loaned out. The Kiama Library has decided to keep 'Antiquity of Athens' in its local history collection. Michelle Hudson stated that they do not want to send the book back out because they do not wish to wait another 150 years for its return.