Boy's 70-year-old 'souvenir' from abbey returned by widow

A medieval abbot's kneecap and a fragment of a floor tile, taken by an 11-year-old schoolboy in 1956, have been returned to Glastonbury Abbey in Somerset, England, more than 70 years later. The artifacts were brought back by the boy's widow, who visited England to scatter his ashes.

George Box, the schoolboy who took the items, slipped under ropes during an archaeological dig in 1956 and removed the kneecap from an open tomb, along with a piece of medieval floor tile. He kept these objects for decades, taking them with him when he emigrated to Australia in the 1970s. The items were displayed in a small glass cabinet at his home.

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We get all sorts of weird and wonderful requests via email, but this was quite a standout one.

Box only later admitted to his wife how he had obtained the artifacts. Before his death, he agreed that they should be returned to Glastonbury Abbey, reportedly due to embarrassment. He even built a special wooden box to ensure the artifacts could make the journey back to Somerset.

Abbey staff were surprised by the unusual return, which began with an email from George's widow late last year. Lucy Newman, from Glastonbury Abbey, described the message as a "standout" inquiry among the many they receive. The kneecap and tile are now on display in the abbey's museum. While believed to belong to one of the abbots who died between 1250 and 1290, the exact owner remains a mystery.

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He didn't want it to happen until he'd passed away. I think maybe it was embarrassment.