Clearing his conscience: schoolbook returned 62 yrs. too late
Published: September 28, 2005
A retired engineer who finally handed back a school library book he had borrowed more than 60 years ago has been spared £300-plus in unpaid fines.
Michael Taylor, 78, cleared his conscience and returned the science book when he attended a reunion of old pupils at Woodbridge School in Suffolk.
Mr Taylor, who lives in Woodbridge, took the book home on the last day of term in 1943 as a reminder of school.
But he admitted it was the crest he admired and never read the book.
The book, published in 1938 called You And The Universe by Paul Karlson, lay at home gathering dust until Mr Taylor came across it hidden among his possessions as he was painting his study this year.
He said his wife Mary warned him there would be a price to pay for keeping the book for 62 years.
But when he arrived at the Old Woodbridgians Society dinner last Saturday clutching the book, its president Mike Weaver, let him off the £300-plus in unpaid fines.
Mr Taylor said: “I would not go as far as to say I had stolen it.
“It was borrowed because I liked the badge inside and I wanted it to remind me of my schooldays.
“I have never read it and I don’t suppose I’ve opened it since I took it home.
“I told Michael Weaver that it was my 70th anniversary of joining the school and I had this book I wanted to hand back. Everyone had a good laugh about it.”
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