"I Don't Know Why My Great-Great-Grandfather, a City Council Member, Never Returned It"... Book Borrowed 150 Years Ago Finally Returned

Book Discovered in Fireplace During Home Remodel

"Believed to Have Been Borrowed by Great-Great-Grandfather"

A book borrowed from a public library in Australia about 150 years ago has finally been returned. The book was discovered inside a box in a fireplace of an old cottage during a renovation.

According to the Associated Press on July 31 (local time), the book "Ancient Artifacts of Athens," which covers ancient Greek relics, was returned to the Kiama Public Library in New South Wales, Australia after roughly 150 years. Michelle Hudson, director of the Kiama Library, stated, "The book was returned to our coastal town library last week," adding, "We have never had such an old book come back before."

The book "Ancient Artifacts of Athens," returned to a public library in Australia after about 150 years. Photo by AP Yonhap News

The resident who returned the book, Ross Symons, age 77, found it when remodeling his family’s old cottage, tucked away in a tea box inside a sealed fireplace. He explained to the Associated Press that he believes his great-great-grandfather, John Symons, was the one who originally borrowed the book. Symons said, "It’s just my guess. He was living in that cottage at the time, and his children would have been too young." He added that he did not know why his ancestor, who served as a Kiama city council member, never returned the book. Although the book is slightly damaged, it is reportedly in overall good condition.

Kiama Library opened its doors in 1872. "Ancient Artifacts of Athens," published in 1858, was among the library’s initial collection of about 1,000 books and is believed to have been lost just a few years after the library opened. However, as borrowing records from the 1870s no longer exist, the identity of the last borrower cannot be confirmed.

According to the library regulations written inside the book’s front cover at the time of opening, the overdue fine was three pence per week. Adjusted for inflation, this would total about 28,000 Australian dollars (approximately 28.4 million won). However, Kiama Library did not impose any overdue fees for this book.

The returned book will be displayed in the library's local history collection. Director Hudson commented, "This book will never be checked out again," adding, "We wouldn't want to wait another 150 years for it to come back."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.