The epic tale of Guinness World Records, once known as The Guinness Book of Records, kicks off with a fiery debate at a County Wexford shooting party in the early 1950s. Sir Hugh Beaver, then Managing Director of the Guinness Brewery, engaged in a heated argument about Europe’s speediest game bird, only to find zero answers in the books. A classic “hold my beer” moment.
In 1954, Sir Hugh reached out to twins Norris and Ross McWhirter, famous factfinders from Fleet Street, to whip up a book of facts, and they set up shop at Guinness Superlatives. The twins worked day and night, even giving up weekends and holidays, to bring the book to life.
The Guinness Book of Records skyrockets into superstardom, becoming a global sensation and a household name.
By the way, the original quest for the fastest game bird remains unresolved within the book’s pages. However, it seems that the red-breasted merganser is a strong contender.
Fast forward to today, and Guinness World Records is more than a dusty old book. With offices in cities like New York and London and a massive online presence, it’s still going strong. From TV Shows and movies to company team efforts and exquisite personal achievements, the quest for record-breaking glory never stops.