Guinness World Records

On 10 November 1951, Sir Hugh Beaver, the managing director of the Guinness Brewery (Guinness factory in Dublin) at the time, went on a shooting party in County Wexford, Ireland. After missing a shot at a golden plover, he became involved in an argument over which was the fastest game bird in Europe, the golden plover or the red grouse (it is the plover).

That evening he realised that it was impossible to confirm in reference books whether or not the golden plover was Europe's fastest game bird. He knew that there must be numerous other questions debated nightly in pubs throughout Ireland and abroad, but there was no book in the world with which to settle arguments about records. He realised then that a book supplying the answers to this sort of question might prove successful.

Beaver's idea became reality when Guinness employee Christopher Chataway and two friends compiled what became The Guinness Book of Records in August 1954. A thousand copies were printed and given away.

After founding the Guinness Book of Records, the first 198-page edition was bound on 27 August 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. Since then, Guinness World Records has become a household name and the global leader in world records.

The book has gone on to become a record breaker in its own right, with sales of more than 100 million copies in 100 different countries and 37 languages, Guinness World Records is the world's best selling copyright book ever.

The book has gone on to become a record breaker in its own right, with sales of more than 100 million copies in 100 different countries and 37 languages, Guinness World Records is the world's best selling copyright book ever.