August 27 in History
1955 – The first edition of the Guinness Book of Records is published in Great Britain
Guinness World Records, the British reference book published annually, listing world records both of human achievements and the extremes of the natural world was published on this day in 1955.
Known from its inception until 1999 as The Guinness Book of Records and in previous United States editions as The Guinness Book of World Records, the book was co-founded by twin brothers Norris and Ross McWhirter in London on a concept created by Sir Hugh Beaver
The first edition topped the bestseller list in the United Kingdom by Christmas 1955. The following year the book was launched internationally, and as of the 2024 edition, it is now in its 69th year of publication, published in 100 countries and 23 languages, and maintains over 53,000 records in its database.
The international franchise has extended beyond print to include television series and museums. The popularity of the franchise has resulted in Guinness World Records becoming the primary international source for cataloguing and verification of a huge number of world records. The organization employs record adjudicators to verify the authenticity of the setting and breaking of records.
Following a series of owners, the franchise has been owned by the Jim Pattison Group since 2008, with its headquarters moved to South Quay Plaza, Canary Wharf, London, in 2017. Since 2008, Guinness World Records has orientated its business model away from selling books, and towards creating new world records as publicity exercises for individuals and organizations, which has attracted criticism.
-Wikipedia
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