Celebrating 60 years INNES U S G W S O D R R L O D REC Welcome to this special edition of the world’s biggest selling copyright book. This book marks an important milestone in our history, as it celebrates the 60th anniversary of our first edition back in 1955. The world has changed a lot over the past six decades – the most expensive bottle of wine in our first edition, for example, would set you back a whopping £5… a far cry from the £75,000 paid for the current record holder! It’s also amazing to discover what’s stayed the same – the tallest man, Robert Wadlow, has never been exceeded, and Bill Hailey’s “Rock Around the Clock” is, incredibly, still the biggest selling single by a group. So with this edition, we’ve got the perfect opportunity to look back through our archives for some fantastic stories to inspire a new generation of readers. Of course, we’re still processing around a thousand claims every week, so there are plenty of exciting new records to explore in this edition. As ever, about three quarters of the book is new or updated, and our Picture Editor Michael and his team have done an exemplary job bringing the records to life with some eye-popping photography that you won’t see anywhere else. The design has also been given a refresh, inspired this year by the clean lines and easy-to- read typography of digital tablet devices. This not only results in an all-new look, but it resonates soundly with the other ways in which our fans consumes words and information. We’re also expanding the remit of our digital offerings, which continue to prove a great success with our readers. We spend a lot of time researching the market and visiting kids and their families at home to find out what they want, and there’s a real desire to see the book connecting with the digital environment. Part of the success of Guinness World Records over its 60 years is its flexibility and willingness to adapt to changes in the world. It’s why this year we’ve got new topics such as 3D printing, crowd sourcing and photo- and video-sharing. It’s also why we’ll still be in here in 60 years time, with our stopwatches and tape measures at the ready… So please join us in celebrating our diamond anniversary – and enjoy the book. Best wishes Craig Glenday Editor-in-Chief www.guinnessworldrecords.com Officially Amazing! Celebrating the 60-year story of the biggest-selling copyrighted book In the 1950s, Sir Hugh Beaver (left) – Managing Director discussions. If he could in October of that year, it 1999 – and a change of name of the Guinness brewery – had the idea for a book of world create such a book, he became an instant best- to its current title Guinness records that might help settle arguments in pubs. Sixty could even give it away seller, and has remained at World Records, reflecting the years on, the idea of superlatives continues to fascinate to some of the 80,000 the top of the charts ever fact that it’s more than just a and excite... and inspires millions of people to strive for or so pubs in the UK since. Within a year, it had book: it’s now a global brand as part of a promotion launched in the USA – as with, among other things, TV immortality by becoming record holders themselves. 1973 Broadcaster David Frost to sell more Guinness (second on left) acquires TV The Guinness Book of shows, museums, websites, “Turn the heat of stout. To help him with his rights for GWR specials. The World Records – and today digital apps, ebooks and, Experience GWR live Hall of Fame special seen 1999 GWR launches its argument into the light of plan, he needed to find a above appeared in 1986. first UK TV show, named is available in more than most recently, live events. Look out for the exciting new Guinness World knowledge.” This was the fact-finding agency, and simply Guinness World 100 countries in up to Records, hosted by football Records Attractions, the first of which is remit of the first ever edition luckily an underbrewer at 6 May 1954 had broken the 20 languages. star Ian Wright. RECORD scheduled to open in 2015. See records come of The Guinness Book of the Guinness Brewery in four-minute mile – a feat once In the years since its ADJUdiCAtiON Records, which itself had Park Royal, London, had the thought to be impossible. The debut, the book has had a to life using cutting-edge digital technology, its origins in an argument. answer: the McWhirter twins. timekeeper for the race was Sir Hugh commissioned change of owner – it was sold As the accepted global and attempt your own records in front of On 10 Nov 1951, during That underbrewer was Norris McWhirter (1925– the McWhirters to create his by the Guinness Brewery in arbiter of record-breaking official GWR adjudicators. a shooting party at North Chris Chataway (1931–2014), 2004), who, along with his book of superlatives, and Slob, by the River Slaney an amateur athlete who identical twin Ross (1925–75), in 1954 the twins set up an in County Wexford, Ireland, acted as pacemaker for had recently set up a fact- office in a disused gym at achievement, Guinness representatives and editorial Sir Hugh Beaver (1890– Roger Bannister, who on finding agency in London. 107 Fleet Street in London. World Records now consultants dotted all 1967) – MD of the Guinness Under the name Guinness processes around 50,000 around the world. brewery – and his fellow Superlatives, they spent an claims a year, and has sent As you’ll see in this year’s fowl-hunters failed to bag intense 16 weeks pulling adjudicators as far afield as edition, we continue to evolve some golden plovers flying together the first edition the bottom of the ocean and and adapt, reflecting the ever- overhead. Could the plover of The Guinness Book of the top of the Burj Khalifa, shifting modern landscape be the fastest game bird in Records, which was bound the world’s tallest building. and providing a snapshot of Europe? A debate ensued, on 27 Aug 1955. We’ve expanded into larger the universe in which we live. but no answer could be While it was initially premises in London, and As long as humans continue found, not even in the well- intended as a promotional opened new offices in New to push the limits of what’s stocked library of Sir Hugh’s item, the book had a life York (USA), Tokyo (JPN), possible, we’ll be there host later that evening. beyond the bars, and when Beijing (CHN) and Dubai with our stopwatches and It occurred to Sir Hugh The Guinness Book of 2006 Editor-in-Chief Craig Glenday welcomes the King of (ARE), with more record counters, documenting and Pop, Michael Jackson, to the London offices on the eve of the that people all over the UK 1998 Guinness World Records Primetime debuts on Fox TV Records was offered up 2006 World Music Awards, where Jackson’s Thriller album ratifying the achievements. and Ireland would be arguing on 27 Jul 1998, hosted by Mark Thompson, and runs for 53 for the public to buy (minus was acknowledged as the biggest-selling album of all time. And the next 60 years episodes; this is the company’s first ever own-brand TV show. over all sorts of topics, and the beer-proof coating!) will undoubtedly be as that perhaps a book should 1972 In the UK, the BBC produce a spin-off of TV show Blue fascinating and record- Peter called Record Breakers, hosted by Roy Castle (right) be published to settle those breaking as the last. and the McWhirter twins; it runs for nearly 30 years. First annual Guinness www.guinnessworldrecords. The 100-millionth copy of GWR celebrates celebrates GWR GWR app launches; Office opened in Office opened in First Swedish, First German edition GWR opens an office in Sir Hugh Beaver The first US edition First French edition First Japanese, Japanese, First First Hebrew, Serbo- First Slovenian edition Slovenian First First Czech edition First GWR museum opens First Dutch edition 2005 Day Records World 2000 launches com 2003 the book is sold 2010 Office openedTokyo, in Japan 2012 China Beijing, 2013 UAE Dubai, 2015 its 60th anniversary 1977 editions Icelandic and Croat 1978 1954 invites the McWhirter twins to start work on a book of superlatives 1956 published is 1962 1963 1967 Norwegian and Danish editions 1968 Finnish and Italian editions 1971 1975 in the Empire State Building 1976 1996 New York, USA 2005 Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II receives a copy of our 50th anniversary 1955 Twins Ross (left) and edition from GWR 2013 Hong Kong actor Jackie Chan accepts Norris McWhirter publish President Alistair Richards. his two GWR certificates, formost stunts by the first edition of The a living actor (more than 100 films) andmost Guinness Book of Records credits in one movie (15). for the Guinness Brewery. 012 Introduction www.guinnessworldrecords.com 013 Actual Diamonds Size All the diamonds ever polished in history would fill justone double-decker bus Largest brilliant crystals was polished into Wallis, Duchess of Windsor the 57 or 58 facets Most valuable necklace cut diamond 55 facets over several years (USA) – which included a of the “brilliant” “The Incomparable” is a necklace A 545.67-carat brilliant and finished in June 2004.