Man returns library book his grandfather borrowed 84 years late

Man returns library book his grandfather borrowed 84 years (and two weeks) late… and even pays the penny-a-week fine which has mounted up to £18.

• Captain William Harrison borrowed the book on Red Deer in early 1938
• He was due to return the book by Richard Jefferies to the library on October 11
• Instead the book remained in his house following his and his daughter’s deaths
• Now his grandson Paddy Riordan has returned the book to the Coventry library 

Library staff were stunned when a book was returned…84 years and two weeks late.

Paddy Riordan discovered the tome amongst his grandfather’s belongings and promptly brought it back.

And the joker even worked out the fine and brought that with him too – a mere £18.27.

Captain William Harrison borrowed the book – Red Deer by English nature writer Richard Jefferies – at some point in 1938 and should have returned the book by October 11 that year.

However it languished on shelves at his home and remained among his belongings when he died in 1957.

His daughter Anne died recently, yet still the book did not get returned.

Paddy Riordan, pictured, returned a copy of a book borrowed from a library in Coventry by his grandfather in 1938 – some 84 years late

The book was borrowed from the Earlsdon Branch of the City of Coventry public library and was due to be returned on October 11, 1938

Mr Riordan calculated the fine his grandfather was due to pay and donated £18.27 to the library – as well as returning the historic book

However his grandson Paddy recently discovered it – and felt compelled to take it back to Earlsdon Carnegie Community Library in Earlsdon, Coventry.

A staff member at the branch posted on Facebook: ‘Here’s something you don’t see every day… a copy of Red Deer by Richard Jefferies has been returned to us – a mere 84 years and two weeks overdue!

‘Paddy Riordan returned the book to us from his grandfather’s collection and kindly donated the fine calculated at the then rate of 1d per week, totalling £18.27 in today’s money.

‘You can see the photograph of Paddy’s grandfather Capt. William Harrison in the images below. How wonderful that the book has finally made its way home!’

In 1938 Britain was about to be plunged back into war.

Tea cost 12p per pound, streaky bacon was 6p a pound and bread 3p a pound.

It was also the year the Holidays with Pay Act created paid annual leave in wage-regulated industries.

Built in 1913 in the traditional Carnegie design, Earlsdon library is a much loved local landmark.

After it was threatened with closure it became a registered charity in September 2018.

As well as a library it is now a community hub and is used for events.

One person who saw the Facebook post said: ‘That should go in a display case!’

Another said: ‘Love this! Truly a community library.’

One simply said: ‘Amazing!’

The Guinness world record for the most overdue library book is held by one returned to Sidney Sussex College.

The catchily-titled Scriptores Rerum Germanicarum Septentrionalium, Vicinorumque Populorum Diversi was borrowed in 1668 by Colonel Robert Walpole, father of PM Sir Robert Walpole, and returned 288 years later.

Source: Read Full Article