Guinness Record Book Collecting

There have been many, many people involved in the business of setting World records, cataloguing records and, of course, collecting record-related books and miscellanea. This page records some of these people and their achievements by means of interviews, news items and submissions to our web-site. If you want your achievements to be recorded here, please send us an e-mail and we'll be delighted to talk to you!

◊ Gyles Brandreth ◊ Larry Olmsted ◊ Lucky Diamond Rich ◊ Iain McWhirter ◊
◊ Ralf Laue ◊ Anna Nicholas ◊ Emily Miethner ◊ Billy Copeland ◊

◊ Craig Glenday ◊ Gordon Nutbrown ◊ Paddy Doyle ◊

Interviews

Paddy Doyle, September 2024

We recently helped multiple record holder Paddy Doyle look up a few things in older editions of the book, and in return he kindly agreed to answer a few of our questions.

Q. Hello again Paddy. How did you get into record-breaking, what records have you set and which records do you hold currently?

A. I was always involved in sports from the age of 8, competing in amateur boxing and Judo - winning bronze & silver medals in the West Midlands Junior Judo Championships, I also competed in gymnastics, athletics, trampolining and football representing my secondary school and winning a bronze medal in the school West Midlands trampolining championships. These sports gave me the skills to attempt various sporting Guinness World Record challenges. Whilst looking around a jumble sale in Warwick town centre in early 1987, I picked up an old Guinness Book edition and noticed the fitness exercises page. I said to myself "I could beat that", so my first Guinness World Record was 4,100 press ups carrying 50 lb steel plate on my back in 4 hrs. 30 min (which still stands to this day).

Q. Which of your world records is your favourite?

A. The strength/speed stamina records I have achieved are all tough - the hardest ones I remember are the martial arts / boxing kumite titles, and I remember the cuts, bruises, broken toes and nose! Other records which are memorable and arduous are the 24 hour press ups feat which I held for a couple years, Guinness physical fitness challenge record, cross-country weighted backpack records and back of hands push ups carrying 40 lb, 60lb , 80lb and 100 lb backpacks.

Q. Have you had any mishaps when attempting records?

A. I have had many ups and downs, such as heavy rain and icy ground, which meant myself the support team and stewards had to make our way back to the start line and wait until the weather improved. Other issues are getting badly injured which meant having to cancel the record challenge for another day. I have learnt from experience as an endurance athlete and martial arts competitor to always listen to your body.

Q. Are you planning any record attempts in the near future?

A. I am still pushing myself and I have currently set and broken 890 career fitness endurance challenges and World Records covering 11 different sporting disciplines. However, around 160 have been broken by fellow arch rivals. I am aiming for my 900th sporting feat which will be on 30 November 2024 at the Royal British Legion Club Knowle Village, Solihull, UK.

Q. Do you have a particular charity which benefits from your record attempts?

A. My chosen charities are armed forces and individual charitable causes.

I'd just like to add that in my view Craig Glenday (GWR editor-in-chief) is a great editor who has brought in various new sporting categories, thereby promoting minority sports. Finally I want to say a big thank you to my support team members and supporters over the years, who have been loyal and have pushed me all the way to the present day.

Thanks Paddy - keep setting those records!

Gordon Nutbrown, August 2016

We were very lucky to meet up with Gordon Nutbrown recently and we spent a pleasant couple of hours talking about his involvement with Redwood Press, the Trowbridge-based company which produced the Guinness Book of Records in the 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s. We also chatted about his collection of Guinness books and his friendship with Norris and Ross McWhirter.

Q. Hello Gordon. How and when did Redwood Press start?

A. In the 1960s, I was working in the printing industry and made the acquaintance of a book distributor named Neil Gormley. We lost touch for a while but I happened to bump in to him some time later when he was the distributor for the Guinness Book of Records. He explained that Norris and Ross McWhirter were having trouble printing the book in the tight timescale required, and asked me if I would consider getting involved. In March 1966, I met with Norris and Ross and we agreed (with Neil) to start a business to print the Guinness Book of Records in-house.

Q. Why was Trowbridge chosen as the site for the print works?

A. Neil was working in Bristol at the time, and he came across a suitable plot of land in Trowbridge where we could be up-and-running reasonably quickly. Neil, Norris, Ross and I invested in the business as equal partners in 1966 and began to develop the 3,000 square feet print works in Trowbridge. We chose the name Redwood to represent the tallest living tree (collectors will know that the company logo was a Redwood tree).

Q. The 1966 edition has the printer as "Billing & Sons Limited of Guildford". Why was that?

A. When we started, we purchased a Heidelberg Rotaspeed two-colour offset litho printer and employed three staff, but we were not in a position to print the 13th edition that year. We sub-contracted the job to Billings, so the 14th edition in 1967 was the first to be printed in Trowbridge. The official opening of the print works took place on the 8th of February, 1967 and was performed by Sara Morrison, wife of Charles Morrison, MP for Devizes.

Gordon with Sara Morrison and the McWhirters

Q. How did the business grow?

A. Our original idea was to streamline the production of the Guinness Book of Records each year. However, the printing of the book is a relatively short part of the whole process, so there was plenty of slack at the print works which need to be taken up. In the late 1960s, Neil Gormley left to pursue new ventures and my brother Wally bought his share in the business and joined as Sales Director. His role was to sell our printing services to the book trade and make sure that the print machines were seldom idle. Initially, much of our work was reprinting older typeset publications using the more flexible lithographic process. In his book, Ross - The Story of a Shared Life, Norris says that within four years, we were printing one in every nine titles published in Britain!

Q. How did the expansion of the business come about?

A. One part of the production that was still outsourced was the binding of each edition. In 1972, by which time we had grown to a medium-size company, we were approached by the Gieves Group who owned a bookbinding company — James Burn & Co. in Esher — and the two businesses merged to form Redwood Burn Limited. The new company later employed almost 500 people, and the print works grew to around 50,000 square feet. The company eventually relocated to larger premises in Melksham and was bought by Pitman (later Bath Press).

Q. Did Redwood Press produce any of the specially bound company editions?

A. We supplied the printed text for such editions and arranged for a trade bindery (initially Ackford's in Chichester) to complete the text folding, sewing and case binding. When Redwood merged with James Burn the binding of such editions was carried out at Esher. Some of the special editions included jackets or printed paper case coverings; these would have been printed in Trowbridge.

Q. Do you have a collection of Guinness books?

A. Yes - I have a number of books from my time at Redwood, including a set of editions from 1968 to 1981 which were specially bound for the directors of the company. I have some treasured signed copies, and I am still given the latest edition every year.

Q. You must have fond memories of your time at Redwood.

A. Yes, many fond memories. Norris and Ross were genuinely nice people, and we were good friends as well as work colleagues. We created a successful business without ever having a major disagreement about anything - our ideas just seemed to work.

Thank you Gordon - it's been a great pleasure meeting you.

Craig Glenday, January 2016

Craig Glenday, Editor-in-Chief of Guinness World Records, has kindly answered a few of our questions in this exclusive interview:

Q. For collectors of the book - and fans of record breaking - a job with Guinness World Records would seem to be a dream career. As Editor-in-Chief, could you sum up the highs (and lows if there are any) of working for a world-famous organisation?

A. As a fan of record-breaking and trivia in general, being Editor-in-Chief at Guinness World Records is a dream job. I've often said I've got the best job in the world, and that's official! The best part of the role is getting to meet our incredible record-holders: our holders are, by definition, the most fascinating, most awe-inspiring people on the planet. I've had the pleasure and honour of meeting royalty, prime ministers, pop stars, Hollywood actors, sports stars, and the like, but also everyday people who've pushed themselves to extraordinary limits.

My most star-struck moment came when Michael Jackson asked me to present his Guinness World Records certificate for Best-selling album (Thriller) at the World Music Awards. Helping me out was my glamorous assistant Beyoncé Knowles! Michael and I stayed in touch and talked about writing a book together about the making of Thriller, but sadly it never materialised and we lost one of pop music's most influential figures at the age of just 50 years.

It's also an honour being the curator of so many fascinating facts and figures. Sharing these with our predominantly young readers is a real responsibility, which I take very seriously. The GWR book is a window to a vast universe of experiences, races, creeds, etc., and I believe that we expand the minds of our readers by showing them things and ideas beyond their ken. It might sound very overblown and self-aggrandising, but we have a mission to entertain and educate, and a commitment to embrace record-breaking across the widest spectrum, opening up the possibility of being a superlative human being to everyone on the planet.

The most touching moment working here was on Canadian radio, when, during an interview, a listener called in to say that we were the only book that her child would read; as a reluctant reader, he avoided the printed word except for the GWR book, and she thanked me profusely for creating a book that was so appealing to kids. I do admit to using every technique possible to attract kids to our book, from filling it with exciting photography, glow-in-the-dark pages, 3D specs and, most recently, augmented reality features, but if it gets them to pick up and enjoy a book, I'm guilty as charged!

The least pleasing part of the job is having to leave new record-holders out of the book because of space issues. We approve many more new or updated records than we have room for, and we have to curate the book in such a way that we can't accommodate every new title. We might not have a spread for, say, mosaics, so any new mosaic record will likely be left out. Most new records do make it on to our website, though, and every new record holder is awarded their official GWR certificate.

Q. How did you get the job of Editor-in-Chief, and what does your role entail?

A. My background is publishing - I studied a BA in Publishing at Napier University, Edinburgh, and worked for a number of years in magazine and part-work development. This meant that I researched five or six new titles each season, and had to quickly become an expert in a lot of different subjects, everything from car maintenance, cookery, jazz music and home DIY to World War 2 history, gambling, sex health and the paranormal. You very quickly have to identify the go-to people for each topic and get a crash-course in the least you need to know. I've always said that I know very little about a lot of things - perfect for Guinness World Records!

I took some time out to write a couple of books of my own - on UFO investigation techniques and vampire hunting! - then took a full-time position with the Mirror Group as a food and drink editor. While there, my friend Maureen Kane, who I'd worked with on a magazine called Animals Animals Animals (about animals!), called me to say that they'd got a job at Guinness World Records as a picture researcher. I said to her, please let me know if there's ever a job on the editorial side of things. After a few months, I got the call: the website editor had just come second in a nationwide stand-up comedy competition and was leaving GWR to pursue a career in comedy. I rushed down to the offices the next day with my portfolio and convinced the VP of Content to give me the job. A dream come true!

After a couple of years, the roles of Web Editor and Book Editor were combined and I was lucky enough to secure this new title. The role encompasses every aspect of the book creation process, from sourcing and commissioning consultants, researching new record categories, exploring options for cover materials and designs, creating the flatplan for the books, adjudicating records, proofreading, and so on. My time at Napier also armed me with a vital technical knowledge about printing, so I get stuck in there too (indeed, I'm currently with our printer in Germany, where I'm doing colour tests on foil materials for the next edition). I'm lucky to be able to stick my fingers into many pies, so I also get to promote the book as an official spokesperson and help with launch activities such as radio and TV interviews, celebrity certificate presentations, and so on.

Q. When did you get your first copy of the book, and do you have a full set of the editions from 1955?

A. My first edition was the 1985 book, which I vividly remember for its astronaut cover. I was 12 years old, and reading this book really was an eye- and mind-opening experience! I've still not managed to complete my collection at home, but at work I do have access to a full set. The early books make fascinating reading, and - a bit like James Bond movies – one's first experience tends to establish one's favourite version. (My Bond is Roger Moore, by the way, although Daniel Craig does a fantastic job too!)

I'd love to be able to publish new books that exactly mirror those from the 1980s but I know today's younger audiences just wouldn't appreciate the density of information. Nostalgia ain't what it used to be, and we need to appeal to the widest range of readers, hence the ever-changing designs. The older books were practically the same year on year – you could turn to the same page each year and see the exact same records – until the late 1990s, when The Guinness Book of Records brand was effectively rebooted. At this point, the books no longer represented the entire archive of records - there just wasn't enough room, so the books were curated on a spread-by-spread basis making them different each year. They became more of a snapshot of the world at the time of going to press, so you can read them more easily than before as historical documents charting the development of new trends. We continue to be a best-seller, so I'm happy that we're doing something right!

Q. What are your interests outside of record breaking?

A. I'm a big theatre fan, and I am in London's West End at least once a week. I'm asked to review a lot of shows, so I get to see more theatre than the average punter. I'm also the Chairman of The Stephen Sondheim Society - a charitable trust that studies and promotes the work of the Broadway composer/lyricist (and record holder for Most Tony Awards won). I spent a big chunk of my (very limited) free time last year producing a gala concert in celebration of Sondheim's 85th birthday at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. It's a fun distraction from record breaking.

We also have an office band, called the Infamous Grouse, so we rehearse in the office and play occasional gigs in pubs around the office. I'm the drummer, so get to take out any work stress on the kit! I'm also a percussionist, and have recently joined London Metropolitan Brass, a newly formed brass band in north London. Any other moments of spare time are spent working on movie scripts that I can't seem to ever finish, a couple of ideas for TV documentaries and a book about the joy of truffles...

Q. Does Guinness World Records have any special plans for the coming year?

A. We're looking at some new publishing ventures, and are about to launch a new title called "Blockbusters". I can't say too much at the moment, but it's a compendium of recent records from the world of popular culture - movies, TV shows, gaming, music, gadgets, etc., aimed specifically at kids. We're also starting work on the tenth edition of the Gamer's Edition - a book I'm very proud of, as it came out of a series of chats I had with Walter Day of Twin Galaxies, one of our videogame consultants. It's a really popular spin-off book that's going from strength to strength, and we've just hired a new Gaming Editor, Stephen Daultrey, who's doing great things with the title.

Beyond the publishing team, we're also developing an exciting new "live" museum experience, which will allow visitors to take part in record attempts; and we're expanding our team of adjudicators to cover even more record attempts around the world. It's a very exciting time!

Q. With the rapid spread of digital media, how do you see the future of the book?

A. We're known in the book trade as "the last book standing", as the regular annual is fundamentally a Christmas impulse gift purchase that comes around every year like clockwork; we're as Christmas as turkey and trees - you know Christmas is coming when the book starts appearing in store! The book continues to be the best, fullest expression of the GWR brand, as we can explore a wide range of topics – astronomy, Earth sciences, animals, human achievements, science, engineering, technology, arts and sports – in a way that our TV shows and licensed products can't. It's just not the same experience on a digital platform, although we do offer an ebook option. Our website is the 24/7 face of GWR, of course, and the web team are always showcasing the most spectacular videos - something a book can't do (yet!). But I'm a printed book person at heart...

So are we Craig! Thanks very much for taking the time to talk to us today.

Billy Copeland, April 2012

Those of you who collect Guinness record related toys and gifts will know of the 2003 series of Kids' Pak meals from Subway that featured, amongst others, the "World's Fastest Street Luge" toy. In 1998, Billy "Rocketman" Copeland set the speed record for the fastest street luge with a rocket-powered version which reached 70 MPH.

Q. Billy, how did the record come about, and what are your plans for the future?

A. I was lucky enough to be part of the Guinness Primetime show and featured in the 1999 book of records. In 1998 while filming the show, I set a speed record of 70 M.P.H. with 8 rockets. Then in 2001 I went 98.5 M.P.H. with a new board that had 24 rockets, but only fired 15 while filming the Ripley's Believe It or Not! Show. The toy that was released in 2003 is an updated version which has 48 rockets and has never been featured on TV. All of my rocketluges are currently on permanent display in our local museum until 2017. At that point I will probably sign another 10 year deal to keep them available for the public to see.

Thanks Billy!

Emily Miethner, December 2011

After the publication of the RecordSetter Book of World Records in November 2011, we contacted them to find out a bit more about their work. Emily Miethner, who is community manager at RecordSetter, kindly answered a few of our questions:

Q. Emily, can you give our readers a brief history of RecordSetter?

A. Thanks so much for reaching out to us! RecordSetter is an evolution of a Burning Man theme camp created in the summer of 2004. A group of friends, including RecordSetter co-founder Dan Rollman, sat down in San Francisco to brainstorm theme ideas for their camp. Eager for a concept that allowed community participation, Dan suggested a Burning Man Book of Records, in large part due to his lifelong Guinness Book obsession.

In 2006 Rollman met Corey Henderson through his then girlfriend (now wife) Emily Wilson. Over beers during a concert in San Francisco, Rollman and Henderson brainstormed how to take their ideas online. In 2008, Rollman and Henderson, both now living in New York City, finally saw their idea come to fruition.

Q. You run many RecordSetter events in the USA - are there any plans to run similar events in the UK and elsewhere?

A. We're super excited to announce that on April 28th 2012, we'll be hosting RecordSetter World Record Day around the globe -- a national day of setting world records with a charity twist. The idea is to help Record Setters around the world plan events and then also give everyone the tools to host their own events. The events can be anything from a small group of friends to a large event at a bar.

Thanks Emily, that sounds fantastic - keep us informed!

Anna Nicholas, September 2010

In September 2010, Anna Nicholas published Strictly Off the Record, an account of her work at the Guinness Book of Records. Anna was kind enough to invite us to the official launch of the book at the Jumeirah Carlton Tower Hotel in Knightsbridge, London on Wednesday 15th September, 2010.

"How interesting to glimpse your site — hugely nostalgic for me ... you have some fascinating items on the site".

Q. Anna, can you give our readers a quick history of your involvement with the Guinness Book of Records?

A. I initially worked as press officer on the book when it was undergoing great changes — new editor (Alan Russell) and a new editorial team. Before long I began helping to adjudicate records and did a fair amount overseas and in the UK with Norris. At the same time I continued to promote the book, handle the launches and Norris's promotional tours.

Q. How long did you work with Norris McWhirter?

A. I worked with Norris in the mid to late eighties and continued as a consultant on the book into the nineties. I left just before Norris stepped down. However, I then approached Virgin on Norris's behalf and continued to work as his private consultant on the Millennium Records book. He was a very dear and close friend throughout my life — even giving me away at my wedding — and I was utterly devastated when he died.

Q. Why did you decide to write the book now?

A. After Norris died, friends suggested that I record the happy times we had shared, but it didn't seem the right time. However, some years on and having discussed the idea Norris's family, it seemed important to offer a tribute to someone I respected hugely and who I believe contributed so much to the world. I have been touched that record-breakers have made contact with me since and offered to help where they could. Norris's family has been fantastic, of course.

So, the book is 17 chapters long and covers my time starting at the book and adventures along the way.

Q. Do you have any contact with anyone at Guinness World Records these days, or contact with people from "the old days"?

A. I do not know anyone now at Guinness World Records, but I am in regular touch with the McWhirter family, and I keep in touch with former Guinness personnel such as David Hoy, Alan Russell, Alex Goldberg, Muriel Ling, Nick Heath-Brown and Stewart Newport.

Q. Thanks Anna for such an entertaining book!

A. Thank you for keeping the Guinness Book of Records alive through your site. That is so wonderful!

Ralf Laue, November 2009

Q. How did you get into record-breaking, what records have you set and which records do you hold currently?

A. It all started with my collection of news items on records. After collecting every piece of information about unusual world records, it was quite natural to ask which records I could break myself. The first one was for the largest fan of playing cards; I am still the record holder for this one. Another record that is still unbroken is for the fastest pancake flipping - 416 tosses in two minutes. I broke some more records like domino and nail stacking. However, the toughest one was for solving the Rubik's Cube blindfolded - I did this in the US Guinness TV Show in 5 minutes and 42 seconds. Today, the best solvers can do it in less than one minute.

By the way: seeing my name in the Guinness Book of Records has became less important for me. The last records I broke (fastest game of Operation, golf ball blowing and the longest distance tiddlywinking) were not even submitted to GWR.

Q. How did you get interested in record breaking?

A. Similar to the McWhirters, I started to collect newspaper articles about world records as a young boy in 1980. I grew up in East Germany where it was not possible to buy the Guinness Book. In fact, this was a good thing: anyone just buying the book would believe that he has the ultimate collection of records. Instead, I started to build my own archive. I am sure that today it is the second most comprehensive world record archive after Guinness World Records themselves. It has served as a source for journalists and TV people: when the German Guinness Show started on television, I provided some information which the producers were unable to get from Guinness World Records.

Q. You must have a great collection of record books (and related news items). When did you start collecting, how extensive is your collection, and are there any books (or items) that you are looking for?

A. It is important to stress that I collect information about records, I would not call myself a true collector of Guinness Books. The main part of my archive is still newspaper cuttings. When each country had a really localized version of the book, I collected various editions and translated them to find the national records that were not in the English version of the book. Now that all the international editions have the same content, it does not make sense for me to buy the book in other languages. Instead, I look for other record books to add to my collection. There are many such books; one of the best known is the "Limca Book of Records", a national record book from India.

I am also interested in the stories behind the records, so I have many books like "Stacking the Deck" (by Bryan Berg, the world's best cardstacker). I also have several original record-related items, such as a signed photograph of Robert Wadlow, and the signed frying pan that was thrown 47.6m by discus world record holder Jürgen Schult.

Last - but not least - I have a nice stamp collection on the "world records" theme.

Q. What is your favourite book of records?

A. That's very difficult to say. Books I really like are the national record books from the Czech Republic. For those who are interested in sports records (in particular strength feats), I highly recommend Dale Harder's "Strength and Speed" book. Dale is a private record statistician like me, and I really appreciate his work.

Q. How are sales of your book doing, and will there be further editions?

A. The sales of the book were okay, but not overwhelming (being marketed as a humorous book may not have helped). The book is rather meant as a challenge to everyone who is interested in creative, funny activities. In this respect, it has been very successful indeed. I regularly get impressive records submissions which are published at http://www.alternativerecords.co.uk if verified successfully. As an example, there was a festival in New Zealand with records like tallest balloon hat, longest distance by a toy balloon powered car and fastest change of four wheels of a car - all these records were challenges from our book. If we motivate people to become creative and active this way, the book has reached its goal.

And yes - I am planning to have future editions. I am currently looking for a publisher who shares my interest in unusual records.

Thank you Ralf - it's been really interesting talking to you.

Iain McWhirter, August 2009

Q. Iain, thanks for having this chat with us - the question uppermost on our readers' minds is obviously, "Do you have a full collection of the Guinness Book of Records from 1955 onwards"?

A. No, I'm afraid not. My father, Ross, died in 1975 and up until that point we had a complete set of all the UK editions, and quite a few of the foreign and paperback ones, too. Somehow our collection has dispersed and we did not get sent new copies by Guinness Books. So, sadly, our collection is rather sparse. I am now looking to fill in the gaps, as I think it would be a nice thing for my children and grandchildren to have.

Q. In your collection, are there any unusual or otherwise significant copies?

A. I do remember that we had several specially bound copies of the early 70's books. From memory, they had a dark red, green or grey, slightly padded hard cover with a diamond geometric grill pattern within a frame (both in a gold coloured leaf) on the front cover.

Q. You mentioned that you helped your Father when the early books were being produced. Did his love of facts and figures, sport, journalism and politics rub off on you?

A. I suppose it did, yes. I tend to read factual, rather than fictional, books - the contents of which I have a bit of a reputation for regurgitating! My children, thankfully, are very into sport, and my wife and I spend a lot of time watching them play. I play a bit of tennis, squash, golf - when I can - but it is so time-consuming, and recently croquet (proper rules!). We are all avid fans of watching sport and never miss a moment of the Olympics when they are on. I last went to the Montreal Olympics in 1976 and am greatly looking forward to the London Games in 2012.

Q. It must have been exciting being involved with the production of such a well-known publication. Do you remember meeting any record-breakers? Did you go along to the recording of the Record Breakers TV show?

A. Yes, I did go to the recordings of several of the Record Breaker shows. I also met some rather unusual people! The man who ate a Cessna light aircraft and snacked on supermarket trolleys was one. Then there was the Frenchman ("Henri la Mothe"), who in his eighties had the record for the highest dive into a paddling pool. He confided that his success - by which I mean his survival - was due to the fact that he did it every day. If you did something yesterday successfully, I suppose it improves your chance of doing it today. Norris always said that once you get to eighty your chances of surviving another year start to improve - at least for the non-high divers amongst us! He would have been disappointed at not having the opportunity to prove the point as he died a few months short of his 79th birthday. He was playing tennis, as he did most days when there was no snow on the ground, when he had a heart attack. I'm sure, had he been able to write his own obituary, he would have added that he was one set up when it happened! He was a stickler for the facts.

I remember going with my father to pick up an American lady from Heathrow, who was to appear on one of the television shows, and who held the unenviable record for the most failed driving tests. It was a miracle she made it across the Atlantic! Chris Greener, Britain's tallest man came to Norris's memorial service in Trafalgar Square, and it was great see the same look of awe on my children's faces as I am sure was on mine when I first met him at the age of ten.

The greatest record breaker of them all was undoubtedly Roy Castle. His infectious enthusiasm, considerable talent and complete determination was only rivalled by his charm and good humour. British television needs more like him but, sadly, he was unique.

Q. Are you still involved in the Ross McWhirter Foundation?

A. Yes. The McWhirter Foundation, as it was renamed to "include" Norris, is now in its 34th year. We hold an annual dinner in Middle Temple Hall to honour individuals for their acts of courage or good citizenship. We also hold a conference at Trinity College, Oxford for 6th Form students from all over the country and from a wide variety of schools and colleges. The latter is usually concerned with some aspect of the rule of law; environment, media, sport, democracy, etc. Our objective is to encourage those who attend to take an interest in some of the big issues that our country faces and perhaps, when they have completed their education, to participate in public life. Our ability to continue is wholly dependent on sponsorship. I, my brother James, and cousin Alasdair are all trustees of the foundation.

Thank you Iain, and good luck with your collection.

Lucky Diamond Rich, April 2009

The title page for the 2007 edition (right) shows the World's Most Tattooed Person (Lucky Diamond Rich) breaking through the page. As well as being a record-breaker and acclaimed street performer, Lucky Diamond Rich is a keen collector of the Guinness Book of Records, and in April 2009 he kindly agreed to answer a few of our questions:

Q. How did you get into record-breaking, what records have you set, and which records do you hold currently?

A. I have been collecting Tattoos since I was 16 years old and I am now 37 years old. It was a childhood dream of mine to be in the book - I have had the record since 2004 and I am the current world record holder for The Most Tattooed Person in the World.

Q. You must have a great collection of record books (and related news items). When did you start collecting, how extensive is your collection, and are there any books (or items) that you are looking for?

A. Yes I am a true collector and, as I am in the book, the Guinness World Record Book is a great book in which to see the history of it all. I am only a few books away from a complete collection, and there are always things that appear that I am interested in adding to my collection.

Q. What is your favourite book of records, or your favourite world records?

A. The 2007 Guinness World Records Book, as I am coming out of the front page. Of course my record is my favourite (and has been since I was a kid), so: The Most Tattooed Man and The Most tattooed Lady.

Q. How has your record breaking enhanced your career, and is there more record breaking to come?

A. It has helped the majority of the planet paint a picture of who I am. Yes, there are always records that I am interested in breaking to do with tattoo or circus skills.

I wish you all the best with your website.

Thank you LDR!

Larry Olmsted, January 2009

Q. Larry, thanks very much for agreeing to this interview. Apart from the sheer effort of your record attempts, did you find it easy to gather the information for your book, and did you enjoy writing it?

A. It was not especially easy, nor overly difficult to gather the information for my book, but it was a lot of fun and writing it was one of my favorite journalistic endeavors of the past decade and a half. The hardest part was arranging live interviews with people like Sir Richard Branson, who are not overly accessible, and tracking down people with personal involvement in the book's history, such as the producer and presenter from Record Breakers, Ashrita Furman and Jackie Bibby. What I did find was that the very topic opened doors and people like Richard Branson and former Good Morning America producer Ben Sherwood were much more forthcoming when they found out they could talk about such a beloved topic.

Most of the historical background on the book came from magazine and newspaper articles dating back to the 1950s, so while I spent much time in the library doing research, this was made much easier than it would have been a few years ago by the digital databases that let journalists access historical newspaper archives online. Of course, some older more obscure papers are still available only in copies or microfiche, and I used all of those. I did travel to London for a week to do research at the British Library and other resources, such as Sir Hugh Beaver's personal papers collected in the archives of the London School of Economics. I also went to New York several times for library research, and used my local college library extensively. In short, it was a multi-pronged effort of emails, phone calls, archives, and libraries. I also collected a fair number of the annual editions of GWR, and have probably about 45 years worth.

Q. The next question has to be: "Are the sales of the book meeting your expectations (if so, will you be retiring soon)?"

A. Alas, I will not be retiring soon, and no, sales did not meet my expectations. I did get a lot of print press and very favorable reviews, but that has not translated into sales.

Q. Will you be trying to break any more records in the near future?

A. During the writing of my book, I received a letter telling me that I was no longer welcome to break records. I personally have been disenchanted enough that record breaking has lost its personal appeal to me. I am moving on to my next, and unrelated, project.

Q. Some of the - shall we say - less positive comments about your book relate to the "dryness" of some parts and an obsession with Ashrita Furman. These comments appear to come from people who would find the Guinness Book itself very hard going, so do you think your book appeals more to true GBR devotees? If not, would it have been better to include stories from other record breakers?

A. When I first researched this topic, I was stunned by the breadth of areas of interest. The "dry" history of the book was one level. The people whose lives have been affected by the book, such as Ashrita, was another. The humor of the whole endeavor and the crazier records was a third. My own attempts and first person experiences were another. I did not want any one of these elements to overpower the book, and instead I wanted it to be many things to many people, so the devotee would find it equally compelling as the armchair cultural observer. There were many, many different ways to structure this book, in terms of chapter organization and order, but in the end I decided that Ashrita gave the reader entry to the entire story, and through him I could touch on the book's history, the way it evolved, the record breaking process itself, the obsession, and the humor, and use that as a springboard for the rest of the book. The reason I put all the nitty-gritty about record breaking logistics in the back in appendices was because the book is supposed to be a good read first, and a how-to second. Some people have absolutely loved the Ashrita chapter and the way I did it, and others have commented that it's too dry and too long and my book overall has too much research and history. As a good friend of mine is fond of saying, that is why they make wallpaper in so many colors. You can't please everyone. I'm very happy with it and the reviews have been overwhelmingly very positive. In fact, the only "dry" reviews you have referred to that I have seen have been from anonymous online readers. Every professional critic who has reviewed my book has been very complimentary.

Q. Some of the history of the Book appears to contradict some of our findings. For example, you seem to imply that the "hiring of editors Ross and Norris McWhirter" took place on 3rd May 1955 ("Mr McWhirter and Mr Horst lunching"). However, Norris McWhirter's own recollections (from his book "Ross" and elsewhere) gives the date of that meeting as 12th September 1954. We know that Sir Hugh Beaver's diary entry for May 1955 was for more of a "progress report", rather than the initial meeting. Do you have a reference for the May 1955 meeting that would clear up any confusion?

A. As for the history, I try to make it clear that there is debate over some of the dates, and that some of the research is contradictory and I make my own most informed conclusions. Unfortunately, neither Ross nor Norris McWhirter nor Sir Hugh were available for interview. You have to remember that at the time this all started, none of the parties thought that when they had lunch or when they began the process would later be seen as even remotely important. On the one hand, Ross had a near photographic memory which would support his recollection. On the other, Sir Hugh was a meticulous record keeper and I was moved by the absence of a previous meeting in his very detailed appointment notes. Also, Ross' recollection of how little time they had between launching Superlatives and publishing the book support the later Beaver date. But at the end of the day, the eight or so months between the dates means little to the overall fascinating story, which remains simply fascinating.

Thank you Larry.

Gyles Brandreth, December 2007

Today we had a very pleasant conversation with Gyles Brandreth about his involvement with the Record Breakers Club, which was launched at the Trocadero in Piccadilly, London in 1985. Gyles was introduced to Norris McWhirter in the 1970s by Lord Longford (Norris and Ross McWhirter were heavily involved in the support for personal freedom in the United Kingdom, as was Lord Longford); at the same time, Gyles also met David Boehm (founder of the Sterling Publishing Group), who was instrumental in the success of Guinness World Records in the U.S.A.

David Boehm had set up the Guinness World Records Museum in New York for Guinness (20th May 1976) and was keen to expand the concept elsewhere. In the U.K., Guinness was also keen to involve younger people in the record breaking scene, so David Boehm was involved in the setting up of the Guinness World Records exhibition at the Trocadero in London, and the Record Collectors Club that was devised shortly after.

Gyles Brandreth recalls his first impressions of David Boehm's apartment in New York, "Two things stand out in my memory of my first visit: Once in the lobby, one entered the elevator and selected the floor to David's apartment. When the doors opened, you were right in the middle of his apartment - it was like being delivered via a dumb-waiter. My second memory is of the erotic Chinoiserie wallpaper in the bathroom".

Of the Record Breakers Club, Gyles says, "I don't recall that much about it - except that we had fun!" Actually, he has a fantastic memory of the club, the office, and the club members. One of the "fun" elements of the club was that everyone employed by Guinness to manage the club was encouraged (if encouragement was needed) to break world records. This is possibly the start of the trend for wacky record breaking that continues to this day. Gyles recalls that he set the record for the longest after-dinner speech at 3hrs 40 minutes - a record that he extended to 11 hours and then to 12½ hours. In the 1980s, no "comfort breaks" were required so these were true feats of endurance. Nowadays, health and safety concerns mean that many of the endurance records are disallowed or have become relatively meaningless.

Ultimately, the club ceased to make money and was closed (as was the Guinness exhibition at the Trocadero). Nevertheless, the club served its purpose, as it introduced a new generation to the world of record breaking. Sadly, now that the likes of the McWhirters, David Boehm and Roy Castle are no longer with us, it seems unlikely that such a club will happen again.

Gyles has one final claim to fame - he stood on his head on TV more often than anyone else. As he told us, "It was the one thing that I was better at than Roy Castle!"