150-Year-overdue Book Discovered in Fireplace Returned to Library
WHO:
ABC News - Ross Simmons returned the book to the library.
ABC News - Michelle Hudson is the Kiama Library manager.
AP News - John Simmons is identified as Ross Simmons' great-great-grandfather.
WHAT:
ABC News - The returned book will be displayed in the library’s local history collection and will not be allowed to be borrowed again, as stated by Michelle Hudson: “We don’t want to wait another 150 years for this book to be returned.”
ABC News - Library manager Michelle Hudson stated, “I follow lots of libraries on social media and often you’ll get things that are maybe 30 or 40 years old when they’re cleaning out estates and stuff like that.”
AP News - Hudson noted that the late return fine would be around 28,000 Australian dollars ($19,500), allowing for inflation.
AP News - Hudson mentioned that library rules in the 1870s included that up to three books could be borrowed by households in which at least six members were “known to be able to read.”
AP News - In the 1870s, books were not lent to people who arrived at the library in a “state of intoxication.”
ABC News - The book was returned last week, with water damage from being bricked into a fireplace for years.
ABC News - Kiama Library manager Michelle Hudson stated, “We’ve never had anything that old come back to us.”
AP News - Hudson suspects the book was lost within a few years of the library opening.
AP News - Hudson mentioned that the library's records of borrowers in the 1870s had been lost, stating, “Unfortunately, we have a missing link. There’s nothing in the book that tells us who the last borrower was.”
AP News - Ross Simmons said, “I’ve spent a lifetime dealing with irate customers and being irate with customers himself. Just stick to your guns and say do your worst,” regarding his lack of concern about the overdue book.
ABC News - A book on Greek antiquities, titled “Antiquities of Athens,” was returned to the Kiama library about 150 years overdue.
ABC News - The book was marked as No. 506 in the library’s original collection of around 1,000 books.
AP News - The late return fine for the book would be around 28,000 Australian dollars ($19,500), calculated based on a British three pence-a-week overdue fee.
ABC News - The book will be displayed in the library’s local history collection and will not be allowed to be borrowed again.
WHERE:
ABC News - The book was returned to a public library in Kiama, Australia.
ABC News - The book was found inside a tea crate bricked into a sealed fireplace during home renovations.
WHEN:
ABC News - The library opened in 1872.
ABC News - The book was published in 1858.
WHY:
AP News - Ross Simmons said he had no idea why his English immigrant ancestor, who had also served as an alderman in Kiama’s municipal government, would not have returned the book.
ABC News - Ross Simmons assumed the book was borrowed by his great-great-grandfather, who lived in the house where it was found.
ABC News - Library rules in the 1870s required that a book had to be returned and an overdue debt paid before another book could be borrowed.
HOW:
ABC News - The book was discovered during home renovations by Ross Simmons.
(UPDATED July 31, 2026 15:40 UTC)
A rare book has been returned to a library and will now be displayed in the local history collection, where it will not be available for borrowing again. Library representative Michelle Hudson emphasized the importance of its return, stating, “We don’t want to wait another 150 years for this book to be returned.” This decision highlights the library's commitment to preserving its historical resources for future generations.
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(UPDATED July 31, 2026 11:44 UTC)
Library manager Michelle Hudson shared insights about the fascinating history of borrowing rules, noting that in the 1870s, households with at least six literate members could borrow up to three books, while intoxicated individuals were not allowed to borrow at all. She also revealed that a late return fine from that era would amount to around 28,000 Australian dollars, or about $19,500 today, when adjusted for inflation. Ross Simmons expressed his confusion over why his English immigrant ancestor, who once served as an alderman in Kiama's municipal government, failed to return a borrowed book.
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(UPDATED July 31, 2026 08:55 UTC)
A historic book has been returned to the Kiama Library after being lost for many years, though it suffered water damage from being bricked into a fireplace. Library manager Michelle Hudson expressed that they’ve never had anything that old come back, and she suspects the book was lost shortly after the library opened, as records from the 1870s are missing. Ross Simmons, who has dealt with many irate customers, remarked on his indifference about the overdue book, saying, “Just stick to your guns and say do your worst.”
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(UPDATED July 31, 2026 07:55 UTC)
A book on Greek antiquities titled “Antiquities of Athens,” which was about 150 years overdue, has been returned to the Kiama library in Australia by Ross Simmons, who found it inside a tea crate bricked into a sealed fireplace during home renovations. The book, originally published in 1858 and marked as No. 506 in the library's collection, will now be displayed in the local history section and will not be available for borrowing again, with a late return fine estimated at around 28,000 Australian dollars. Michelle Hudson, the library manager, confirmed that the overdue book was likely borrowed by Ross's great-great-grandfather, who lived in the house where it was found.