Publisher's Synopsis
The idea came about in the early 1950's when Sir Hugh Beaver (1890-1967), Managing Director of the Guinness Brewery, attended a shooting party in County Wexford. There, he and his hosts argued about the fastest game bird in Europe, and failed to find an answer in any reference book.* In 1954, recalling his shooting party argument, Sir Hugh had the idea for a Guinness promotion based on the idea of settling pub arguments and invited the twins Norris (1925-2004) and Ross McWhirter (1925-75) who were fact-finding researchers from Fleet Street to compile a book of facts and figures. Guinness Superlatives was incorporated on 30 November and the office opened in two rooms in a converted gymnasium on the top floor of Ludgate House, 107 Fleet Street.
