A book on Greek antiquities found bricked in a fireplace is returned to an Australian library, 150 years overdue

A book on Greek antiquities, bricked into a fireplace and presumed lost for more than a century, has been returned to an Australian library in the seaside town of Kiama, nearly 150 years after it was last borrowed. The book, Antiquities of Athens, published in 1858, was discovered by local resident Ross Simmons during recent home renovations inside a sealed fireplace. It was handed over to the Kiama Library last week, marking a rare and historic return of a long-lost item from the library's early collection. The book, marked as number 506 in the library’s original collection of approximately 1,000 titles, was likely lost shortly after the library opened in 1872. According to library manager Michelle Hudson, the book was originally part of the library’s founding stock and had been stored in a tea crate before being bricked into the fireplace. The discovery came during renovations to the house where Ross Simmons' great-great-grandfather, John Simmons, once lived. Hudson noted that such an occurrence was unprecedented, as the library rarely receives items that old. The book bore a fine of roughly 28,000 Australian dollars, about $19,500 in current value, calculated using the British three-pence-a-week overdue fee listed on the inside cover. This fee, dating back to the library’s early days, was part of strict borrowing rules that required borrowers to return books and settle debts before borrowing new ones. However, Hudson explained that the library’s records of borrowers from the 1870s have been lost, leaving a gap in identifying the last person who took the book out. Rules in place at the time included restrictions on lending books to individuals arriving at the library in a state of intoxication, though such regulations are no longer enforced. Today, the library requires proof of reading ability for some services, a practice that has since been abandoned. Ross Simmons, who assumed the book belonged to his great-great-grandfather, expressed surprise at the absence of any record of the overdue debt. He noted that his ancestor, an English immigrant and former alderman in Kiama, might have simply forgotten to return the book. Despite the potential financial implications, Simmons said he did not expect to face any consequences. “I’ve spent a lifetime dealing with irate customers and being irate with customers myself. Just stick to your guns and say do your worst,” he remarked, reflecting on his decision to return the book. The returned volume will be placed in the library’s local history collection, where it will remain on display rather than being loaned out again. Hudson emphasized the importance of preserving such historical artifacts and ensuring they are not misplaced in the future. “We’re not going to allow it to go back out again. We don’t want to wait another 150 years for this book to be returned,” she said.