The Guinness World Records is a book that has been published annually since 1955 and collects all world records. The idea of collecting every possible kind of record came from Sir Hugh Beaver, the then managing director of the Guinness brewery in Dublin. On 4 May 1951, during dinner, he thought some golden plovers during their haunting trip had escaped because of their speed. A discussion arose among those present as to whether or not the golden plover was the fastest bird in Europe. 

Sir Hugh thought that these discussions must be commonplace and had the idea of creating a book in which anyone could satisfy their curiosity about records. So he turned to Ross and Norris McWhirter twins, who specialised in athletics records, and entrusted them with the first edition of the Guinness Records Book.