Rare first edition of To Kill A Mockingbird found in London charity shop

When deputy manager Gurpreet Karlcut began looking through the box, she realised one of the hardbacks might be of significant value.

Shop manager, Olivia Haysman-Walker, then went on to research the edition, including its print dates, jacket design and binding, and established that it was a first US edition.

“It could so easily have been missed,” Olivia said. “There were lots of books to work through in the donation, but we recognised To Kill a Mockingbird and thought it was worth taking a closer look.”

The book has been purchased by the British Library

Oxfam Portobello

She added: “We realised quite quickly that we had something really special. The dust jacket showed its age, and although it was worn around the edges, the pages inside were in beautiful condition.”

The rare book was later listed for sale before being acquired by the Eccles Institute for the Americas and Oceania at the British Library, following an assessment of its condition.

How much the book was bought for has not been disclosed but first editions can be worth thousands of pounds.

The purchase will help support Oxfam’s work around the world, including its efforts to help people affected by poverty, conflict and humanitarian crises.

“It's amazing to think that this book has passed through our Oxfam bookshop and into the national collection at the British Library – I delivered it to the Library myself,” Olivia said.

“It really has been quite a journey, and it's a lovely reminder, during Second Hand September, of the kind of treasures that can be hiding among the shelves and donations in our shops.”