Who Started the Guinness Book of World Records?

Elmira | 06 - 24 - 2020
Who Started the Guinness Book of World Records

The English-South African engineer & industrialist, Sir Hugh Beaver is the founder of the Guinness book of world records (now-known as Guinness World Records).

Why Was the Guinness Book of Records Started?

In the early 1950s, Sir Hugh Beaver, the managing director of Guinness Brewery, went for a shooting party in County Wexford, Ireland. He missed a shot at a golden plover, where he started a debate with his hosts about the fastest game bird in Europe and couldn’t find the answer in any reference book.

That was the time Beaver realized there must be numerous questions debated in pubs in Ireland and other countries. No book in the world could settle disputes about records. Hence he got an idea in supplying a book of answers for all sorts of questions that can be helpful.

1. The Guinness Book of Records Was Created after an Argument about What?
  • A. The fastest game bird in Europe
  • B. Best author
  • C. Best Hunter
  • D. All of the above

History of Guinness Book of World Records

The Guinness Book of World records became the best-selling copyrighted book of all time. The first edition of “The Guinness Book of Records” was published on august 27 in 1955 for 50,000 copies. It quickly became popular and, at present, named as a Guinness World Records” book, which covers a wide range of facts related to humans and animals. The idea of making a record book came in Beaver’s mind in November 1951 when he went for a hunting trip in Ireland. The American edition started selling in 1956. .

Later, The McWhirters (co-founder of the book) traveled across the world to research and verify records. Ross McWhirter was handling the book until his death in 1975. After his death, his brother Norris continued his service as the book’s editor until 1986. The book has combined records of medical science, technology, engineering, arts, and entertainment with tremendous bizarre information.

The great Guinness Book of World Records museum was inaugurated in the Empire State Building in 1976. At present, there are thousands of records contained in the Guinness World Records database that include the oldest person ever (Jeanne Louise Calment of France, died in 1997 at 122 years), the tallest man ever -Robert Wadlow, the tallest dog ever (Great Dane from Michigan named Zeus, who in 2011 measured 44 inches), Burj Khalifa-the tallest building in the world, and more.

After the Bible, this genius book has sold more than 100 million copies in its 50 years that marked it as the highest-selling copyrighted book in history. On the 64th publication, Guinness Book of world records sold 3.5 million copies, written in twenty-three languages in hundred nations.

 

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