In brief
A book titled *The Antiquities of Athens* was borrowed by a Kiama resident in the 1870s and then hidden inside a tea chest behind a boarded‑up fireplace for 150 years. The book was recently discovered by a family member who identified its library stamp, confirming its overdue status. The borrower’s great‑grandfather, John Simmons, once worked as a stonemason on London’s Houses of Parliament before settling in Kiama. Library officials estimate the fines would be astronomical, but the delay has prompted the book to be kept as a special item for future viewing. The story has drawn attention from locals and visitors alike, celebrating a unique piece of literary heritage.
A book borrowed 150 years ago has finally been returned to an Australian library, and the borrower’s ancestry ties back to the Houses of Parliament in London. The volume, *The Antiquities of Athens*, was taken from the Kiama library in the mid‑1870s, a seaside town south of Sydney.
For decades it lay hidden in a tea chest behind a boarded‑up fireplace, only to be uncovered during renovations 30 years ago. The book is water‑damaged but otherwise in good condition, and its face contains a Kiama Library stamp that confirms its overdue status.
John Simmons, great‑grandfather of the family member who recovered the book, studied in London from 1839 to 1844 and later apprenticed with stonemasons who worked on the Parliament’s sandstone façades before emigrating to Australia in 1857. He reportedly used the book as a reference for architectural projects in Kiama, including the construction of a sandstone church.
The library’s 1872 borrowing rules stipulated a fine of three pence per week for late returns, which would have amounted to over $20,000 in today's currency had the fee been applied. The overdue book was marked as item number 506, and its former location was a sealed fireplace that remained out of sight for more than a century.
Kiama Council libraries manager Michelle Hudson said the discovery attracted visitors from within 40 minutes, eager to hold the historic volume. She added that the book will no longer circulate, becoming a special item available only on request to preserve its condition after the long wait.
The family believes that the great‑grandfather would be relieved to see the book returned after its delayed journey. The story underscores how overlooked treasures in public collections can resurface and capture the imagination of communities.
