Book hidden in fireplace returned to Australian library 150 years overdue

A rare book borrowed from a Kiama library in Australia over 150 years ago has finally been returned to its rightful place. The antiquities of Athens, a tome on classic Greek architecture, disappeared from the library, located about 120 kilometers south of Sydney, sometime in the mid-1870s. The book was hidden behind a boarded-up fireplace in a tea chest for decades before it was recently discovered by a 77-year-old family member, Ross Simmons.

Simmons believes his great-grandfather, John Simmons, borrowed the book to aid his career. John Simmons, who studied in London between 1839 and 1844, was an apprentice stonemason in Westminster before becoming an architect in Australia. He emigrated to Australia in 1857, first living in Sydney before moving to Kiama after helping construct a sandstone church.

The overdue book ended up in the tea chest along with other family records, which were later uncovered during renovations about 30 years ago. The library staff calculated that the fine for returning the book past its due date would be £97 - equivalent to AU$28,000 ($20,000; £15,000) in today's money, considering inflation. However, the fine has been waived for the Simmons family.

Kiama Library Manager Michelle Hudson noted that the unusual find has drawn significant attention, with people traveling 40 minutes to hold the book. The cloth-bound volume, despite some water damage, is in good condition and features beautiful illustrations and pages that fold out to show exact measurements of monuments in Greece.

The book, marked as number 506, was part of a collection of fewer than 1,000 books in the town's library in 1872. The overdue book is now permanently added to the library's special items collection, which can be viewed upon request.