Dear LPG,

Did you know that on this day, 63 years ago, the very first edition of a very significant book took to the book shelves?   You may well ask what the book has to do with a well-known Irish beverage. 

I bet that few of us would expect the name Sir Hugh Beaver to ring any bells?  He was an academic engineer, born in 1890 and, amongst many other achievements he was instrumental in the publication of the first ever Guinness Book of Records. He was Managing Director of Guinness Breweries at the time.

The story goes that he got into a discussion about which of two birds was the fastest and, because there was no reference book to settle the argument he decided to invent one.  He learned of and commissioned Norris and Ross McWhirter, who ran an agency with similar aims, to start work on a compilation of records and the result grew into the book we know today.

The really good thing about the records included in the book is that, over the years many of them have become more and more bizarre, but it is to be remembered that not all records involve skills.   Collections are very popular, so if you have an unusual one it may be worth checking to see if it can top one that already exists, or if indeed a similar one has ever actually been recorded so far. 

My suggestion is that there has to be something, not too taxing, that the pensioners of Lewisham can do to get our names in the book.  I have not thought of it yet and could do with a little help if you have an idea.

HY, Crofton Park

LPG has found some information including evidence that our borough has contributed to one of the records that may have featured in last year’s edition of this book.

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