Book bought by Guernsey library founder returned

Thomas Guille bought the book in America in 1832

A book owned by the co-founder of Guernsey's library which vanished in the 1950s has been returned.

The Guille-Allès Library said the copy of The Destruction of Jerusalem was bought by Thomas Guille in 1832 and was on the shelves when it opened in 1882.

It has been returned after it was found in an online bookshop by a Dutch librarian.

It was brought back to Guernsey just before Christmas and is on display in an exhibition.

Mr Guille bought the book in New York when he was 14 years old, staff said.

He and childhood friend - and library co-founder - Frederick Allès left Guernsey aged 14 to seek their fortunes in America, with hopes to return home and start a library.

Library staff got "emotional" when they saw Thomas Guille's handwriting

Library head of marketing Adam Bayfield said the book was believed to have been removed "sometime in the 1950s".

He said Dutch librarian Garrelt Verhoeven was browsing an online antiquarian bookshop when he came across the book, which had: "Thomas Guille, 1832, New York" written on the flyleaf.

Mr Verhoeven bought it, became intrigued to find out more about its previous owner and then made contact with the Guernsey library, returning the book near the end of 2022.

'A lost son'

Mr Bayfield said: "Who knows what happened to it over the decades before it wended its way to the Netherlands."

He added that "a few of us were quite emotional when we opened the book and saw Thomas Guille's handwriting inside".

Mr Verhoeven said: "It fills me with pleasure that this little treasure has now returned to Guernsey, and to see the librarians embrace it as a lost son."

As well as displaying the rediscovered book, the Boundless Curiosity exhibition, on until 21 January, also has other rare volumes on display.

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