August 27, 2018
The Guinness Book of World Records Debuts
Believe it or not, the famous “Book of World Records” actually has a connection to the world famous Guinness beer.
How So?
Hunting History
- Who: Managing Director of the Guinness Brewery:A Sir Hugh Beaver
- What: Bird hunting trip in Ireland
- When: 1951
- How: An argument over the fastest game bird led to the realization that no ultimate reference book existed.
Then what?
BELLY UP
- Sir Weaver decided to develop a record book.
- Enlisted the help of twin brothers (the McWhirters) who ran a fact-finding agency in England in 1954.
- In 1955, they distributed the first Guinness Book of Records for free — in pubsA as a form of publicity to settle friendly debates over a few brewskies. It was an instant success.
Most Recent Records:
- Most expensive box of tissues:A $90 USD in Japan.
- Largest ‘nutbush dance’ (to Tina Turner’s “Nutbush City Limits”): 1,719 in a remote Australian town.
- “All record attempts require the presence of completely independent witnesses who are our eyes on the ground to witness and confirm that all of our rules have been followed.”
The twin brothers who help found the Guinness Record Book set a standard – often traveling independently to verify records. They both served in WWII & developed a love for facts from their newspaper editor father. One brother was murdered.
- GUINNESS WORLD RECORDSA HISTORY:
A https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/60/throughtheyears.html - How are records measured?
http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/records/what-makes-a-guinness-world-records-record-title/how-are-records-measured - Good Read (from 2008):A Guinness World Records:A
http://content.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1859037,00.html - McWhirter Brothers:
__1975: TV presenter Ross McWhirter shotA _dead
[http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/november/27/newsid2528000/2528787.stm](http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/november/27/newsid2528000/2528787.stm)
Guinness Book of Records co-founder and editor Ross McWhirter has been shot dead outside his North London home. Mr McWhirter was hit at close range in the head and chest at 1845 GMT. He was taken to a local hospital, but died soon after being admitted.AThe well-known author and BBC Record Breakers presenter recently offered a reward of AL50,000 for information leading to the arrest of IRA bombers.AScotland Yard said no group had yet claimed to be behind the attack.
Norris McWhirterAObituary:
https://www.theguardian.com/news/2004/apr/21/guardianobituaries.obituaries
_
by Jenna Lee,
