London plaque missing for 70 years found in an unlikely place 3,300 miles away

The plaque has been returned to South London Swimming Club after more than 70 years (Picture: South London Swimming Club/Wandsworth Council/Gail McLean)

A shield which has been missing from a London swimming club for more than 70 years managed to make its way to Boston, Massachusetts.

The plaque, which was donated to the South London Swimming Club at Tooting Lido in 1907, was spotted at a Ralph Lauren store in the US city.

But it went missing in 1953 after it was retired as the winning trophy for being too cumbersome, and was not seen again until November last year.

Margy, South London Swimming Club’s membership secretary, told Metro: ‘A keen-eyed south Londoner on holiday in Boston managed to spot the shield on display in a Ralph Lauren store.

‘She sent a photo of it to her dad, who then got in contact with us. One of our members works for Ralph Lauren in London, and she got in contact with her US counterparts.

‘Ralph Lauren very kindly gave it back to us, and it arrived back to its home on Christmas Eve.’

It is not quite known how the distinguished shield managed to travel across the Atlantic Ocean.

The plaque went missing in 1953 after it was retired for being too cumbersome (Picture: South London Swimming Club)

Wandsworth Council held a ceremony to welcome its return with the great great grandson of the original donator Andrew Fitch (left) (Picture: Wandsworth Council/Gail McLean)

But members of the club believe the last person to have been awarded the shield, a man known as M. Norton, either sold it or it was cleared out following his death.

Margy said: ‘We can imagine it would have ended up somewhere like an antiques fair, and someone from the display or design team at Ralph Lauren bought it.

‘We don’t know when this could have been, and we don’t know if it went on any other adventures during it’s time away, but we are happy to have it back now.’

A ceremony was held to welcome its return, with Andrew Fitch, the great great grandson of its original donator, then Mayor Alexander Glegg, unveiling it.

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