Portsmouth Library Book Returned 60 Years Late

Portsmouth City Council's library service has seen a book borrowed over 60 years ago, returned. Appropriately titled, Forgotten Submarine, was rediscovered during a de-clutter during lockdown.

The book had been on a journey as the discoverer, Jill Davies, had rescued the book from the side of Fratton Road in 1957, and took the novel home to read before planning to return it to the library. She never got round to returning it and it was rediscovered last year in her home and wrote to Portsmouth City Council to inform them of her discovery.

Jill has also moved several times since finding the book on the roadside and now resides in London. Her biggest concern was any fines the original borrower may have incurred but was delighted to hear that the council had scrapped all overdue library fines to help encourage residents to return books to the library.

The library service is asking others to check their books that may be actually overdue library books, and return them to their local library.