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Friday 15 May 2015

Guinness Book of World Records

The Guinness Book of World Records book was conceived by Guinness boss Sir Hugh Beaver in 1961 after an argument whilst hunting over which was the fastest game bird, the golden plover or the grouse. He thought that there must be other questions debated nightly in pubs throughout Ireland. It was originally a marketing tool and a thousand copies were printed and given away.


The first 198-page edition of The Guinness Book of World Records was published on August 27, 1955 and went to the top of the British best seller lists by Christmas. The following year, it launched in the US, and sold 70,000 copies.

Twin brothers Ross and Norris McWhirter were co-founders of The Guinness Book of Records, which they wrote and annually updated together between 1955 and 1975.

Norris McWhirter was the timekeeper at the 1954 race when Roger Bannister became the first person to run a mile in under four minutes.

Many first editions of The Guinness Book of World Records came in a special waterproof, and beer-proof, binding so that it would stand up to handling in a busy bar.

The editor and co-founder of the Guinness Book of Records, Ross McWhirter, was shot dead by an IRA gang on November 27, 1975. He had offered a reward of £50,000 for information that led to the arrest of IRA bombers.

Ross McWhirter Wikipedia

A Guinness Book of World Records museum opened in 1976 in the Empire State Building, New York..

On June 3, 1978 it was announced The Guinness Book of World Records had set a record itself. It topped a list of the books most often stolen from the UK's public libraries.

Since 2001, Guinness World Records are no longer owned by the same owner as the Guinness brewery - but they retained the name since it was already so iconic.

The Guinness Book of Records is the world's most sold copyrighted book, earning it an entry within its own pages.


In April 2009 Guinness World Records bestowed the record of "Person with the most records" on Ashrita Furman of Queens, New York. At that time, he held 100 records.

The Guinness World Records stopped recording heaviest pets to discourage deliberate overfeeding.

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