Guinness World Records was founded in 1951 when Sir Hugh Beaver - then managing director of the Guinness Brewery - asked a simple question: what was Europe's fastest game bird? With the help of the London-based fact-finding twins Norris and Ross McWhirter, he set about creating a definitive catalogue of notable feats which culminated on August 27, 1955, in the publication of the first edition of "The Guinness Book of Records". By Christmas that year it became Britain's number one bestseller and has since produced a book each year under its new title, Guinness World Records.