308. Lost Property Office at London Underground has 300,000 items awaiting their forgetful owners. You’d be amazed . . .
A misplaced umbrella, yes. But how could someone hobble off the London Underground and leave their prosthetic leg behind? Wait, there’s more amazing things left on the trains.
The narrow-gauge train which takes children around the Picton foreshore circuit reports there’s nothing in our Lost Property Department. Not even one lost child. They all go home smiling with parents and grandparents.
But that’s not the case at the London Underground Lost Property Office. (Top left Corner of the map.)
Every year 300,000 items are handed in by honest travellers. Since 1863 over 15 million items have ended up as lost property. The recovery rate is 22%. After 3 months the remainder get sold, donated or dumped.
On a particularly busy day such as a Football Cup Final, a big pop concert, or a major royalty event 30,000 items will be lost — and handed in by honest people.
You’d be amazed what gets lost
Umbrellas and school bags are the most common. But unlikely lost property has included judges’ wigs, military drums, false limbs, rolls of carpet. Also surprising was an urn with grandma’s ashes, and an envelope stuffed with £15,000.
If you want to get a cheap set of golf clubs in London (as I did 50 years ago) head to 200 Baker Street LPO and you’ll have dozens of clubs to choose from. The complete set cost me £12.
That’s not me. But the golf bag looks familiar.
Years ago lost property was recorded in a hand-written ledger. Today items are recorded in a digital database code-named SHERLOCK. (It’s in Baker Street!)
Report #308. Check my 300 other blog posts. BrianMorris.SubStack.com
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