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82-641: By 2017 according to Guinness World Records , the hottest pepper was the Carolina Reaper , with 1.6 million SHU. The yellow cultivar of the Trinidad Moruga Scorpion was created by Wahid Ogeer of Trinidad. Paul Bosland, a chili pepper expert and director of the Chile Pepper Institute , said, "You take a bite. It doesn't seem so bad, and then it builds and it builds and it builds. So it is quite nasty." Aside from

164-414: A Hit Albums book following two years later. In 1975, Parker Brothers marketed a board game, The Guinness Game of World Records , based on the book. Players compete by setting and breaking records for activities such as the longest streak of rolling dice before rolling doubles, stacking plastic pieces, and bouncing a ball off alternating sides of a card, as well as answering trivia questions based on

246-460: A metonym for the British national press, and pubs on the street once frequented by journalists remain popular. Fleet Street has a significant number of monuments and statues along its length, including the dragon at Temple Bar and memorials to a number of figures from the British press, such as Samuel Pepys and Lord Northcliffe . The street is mentioned in several works by Charles Dickens and

328-520: A serial killer , the character appears in various English language works starting in the mid-19th century. Adaptations of the story include the 1936 George King film , the 1979 Stephen Sondheim musical , and the 2007 Tim Burton film based on the musical, all titled Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street . Fleet Street is mentioned in several of Charles Dickens 's works. The eponymous club in The Posthumous Papers of

410-511: A branch that keeps records for popular video game high scores, codes and feats in association with Twin Galaxies . The Gamer's Edition contains 258 pages, over 1,236 video game related world records and four interviews including one with Twin Galaxies founder Walter Day . Editions were published for the years 2008 through 2020, with the 2009 edition in hardcover. The 2025 edition is the first since 2020. The Guinness Book of British Hit Singles

492-577: A court order. The Old Bank of England , which from 1888 to 1975 was a trading house for the country's central bank, is now a Grade II listed pub. Since 1971, the southern side of the street has been part of the Fleet Street Conservation Area, which ensures buildings are regularly maintained and the character of the street is preserved. The area expanded to the north side in 1981. The area around Fleet Street contains numerous statues and memorials to prominent public figures. At

574-568: A fact-finding agency in London. The twin brothers were commissioned to compile what became The Guinness Book of (Superlatives and now) Records, in August 1954. A thousand copies were distributed for free to pubs across Britain and Ireland as a promotional asset for the Guinness brand, and they became immensely popular with customers. After the founding of The Guinness Book of Records office at

656-667: A huge number of world records. The organisation employs record adjudicators to verify the authenticity of the setting and breaking of records. Following a series of owners, the franchise has been owned by the Jim Pattison Group since 2008, with its headquarters moved to South Quay Plaza , Canary Wharf , London, in 2017. Since 2008, Guinness World Records has orientated its business model away from selling books, and towards creating new world records as publicity exercises for individuals and organisations, which has attracted criticism. On 10 November 1951, Sir Hugh Beaver , then

738-751: A login on the company's website. Applications made by individuals for existing record categories are free of charge. There is an administration fee of £5 (or $ 5) to propose a new record title. A number of spin-off books and television series have also been produced. Guinness World Records bestowed the record of "Person with the most records" on Ashrita Furman of Queens, New York, in April 2009; at that time, he held 100 records. In 2005, Guinness designated 9 November as International Guinness World Records Day to encourage breaking of world records. In 2006, an estimated 100,000 people participated in over 10 countries. Guinness reported 2,244 new records in 12 months, which

820-409: A new record. The company also provides corporate services for companies to "harness the power of record-breaking to deliver tangible success for their businesses." Guinness World Records states several types of records it will not accept for ethical reasons, such as those related to the killing or harming of animals. In the 2006 Guinness Book of World Records , Colombian serial killer Pedro López

902-473: A record to break or to create a new category just for them. As such, they have been described as a native advertising company, with no clear distinction between content and advertisement. Guinness World Records was criticised by television talk show host John Oliver on the program Last Week Tonight with John Oliver in August 2019. Oliver criticised Guinness for taking money from authoritarian governments for pointless vanity projects as it related to

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984-573: A scroll", along with other such titles. Concerns were also raised around the activities around Egypt, which moved from 22 records to 110 within a decade until 2024. James Lynch, co-founder of FairSquare, said the records were legitimising Abdel Fattah el-Sisi's regime. The Guinness World Records stated that its record titles "cannot be purchased". For some potential categories, Guinness World Records has declined to list some records that are too difficult or impossible to determine. For example, its website states: "We do not accept any claims for beauty as it

1066-487: A sword swallower, repeated lightning strike victim Roy Sullivan 's hat complete with lightning holes and a pair of gem-studded golf shoes on sale for $ 6,500. The museum closed in 1995. In more recent years, the Guinness company has permitted the franchising of small museums with displays based on the book, all currently (as of 2010 ) located in towns popular with tourists: Tokyo , Copenhagen , San Antonio . There were once Guinness World Records museums and exhibitions at

1148-467: Is Wentworth Publishing , an independent publisher of newsletters and courses. The Associated Press has an office in Fleet Street as did The Jewish Chronicle until 2013 when it moved to Golders Green . The British Association of Journalists is based at No. 89 while Metro International are at No. 85. Though many prominent national newspapers have moved away from Fleet Street,

1230-546: Is a British reference book published annually, listing world records both of human achievements and the extremes of the natural world. Sir Hugh Beaver created the concept, and twin brothers Norris and Ross McWhirter co-founded the book in London in August 1955. The first edition topped the bestseller list in the United Kingdom by Christmas 1955. The following year the book was launched internationally, and as of

1312-721: Is a bust of Lord Northcliffe , the newspaper proprietor, co-founder of the Daily Mail and the Daily Mirror . At No. 72 is a bust of the Irish journalist and MP TP O'Connor , constructed in 1934 by F. W. Doyle-Jones. On the southern side of the street nearby memorials and monuments include the Temple Bar Memorial where the Temple Bar (a gateway) used to stand until it was removed in 1878. The marker

1394-419: Is not objectively measurable." On 10 December 2010, Guinness World Records stopped accepting submissions for the " dreadlock " category after investigation of its first and only female title holder, Asha Mandela, determining it was impossible to judge this record accurately. Traditionally, the company made a large amount of its revenue via book sales to interested readers, especially children. The rise of

1476-422: Is slow. Would-be record breakers that paid fees ranging from US$ 12,000 to US$ 500,000 would be given advisors, adjudicators, help in finding good records to break as well as suggestions for how to do it, prompt service, and so on. In particular, corporations and celebrities seeking a publicity stunt to launch a new product or draw attention to themselves began to hire Guinness World Records , paying them for finding

1558-554: Is the effective authority on the exact requirements for them and with whom records reside, the company providing adjudicators to events to determine the veracity of record attempts. The list of records which the Guinness World Records covers is not fixed, records may be added and also removed for various reasons. The public is invited to submit applications for records, which can be either the bettering of existing records or substantial achievements which could constitute

1640-689: Is the home of the fictional murderer Sweeney Todd . Fleet Street is named after the River Fleet , which runs from Hampstead to the River Thames at the western edge of the City of London . It is one of the oldest roads outside the original city and was established by the Middle Ages . In the 13th century, it was known as Fleet Bridge Street, and in the early 14th century it became known as Fleet Street. The street runs east from Temple Bar ,

1722-539: Is the oldest continuous banking establishment in the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1580 and has been based at No.1 Fleet Street, adjacent to Temple Bar, since 1673. The law firm Freshfields moved to No. 65 Fleet Street in 1990. In the High Middle Ages senior clergymen had their London palaces in the street. Place-names surviving with this connection are Peterborough Court and Salisbury Court after their respective Bishops' houses here; apart from

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1804-490: The Anti-Corn Law League were based at No. 67 Fleet Street, and a blue plaque marks the location. Publishing started in Fleet Street around 1500 when William Caxton 's apprentice, Wynkyn de Worde , set up a printing shop near Shoe Lane , while at around the same time Richard Pynson set up as publisher and printer next to St Dunstan's Church . More printers and publishers followed, mainly supplying

1886-511: The Earl of Bute , burned a jackboot in the centre of the street in protest against Bute. It led to violent demonstrations and rioting in 1769 and 1794. Tanning and other industries declined sharply after the River Fleet was routed underground in 1766. The street was widened during the late-19th century, when Temple Bar was demolished and Ludgate Circus was constructed. The headquarters of

1968-490: The Empire State Building . Speed shooter Bob Munden then went on tour promoting The Guinness Book of World Records by performing his record fast draws with a standard weight single-action revolver from a Western movie-type holster. His fastest time for a draw was 0.02 seconds. Among exhibits were life-size statues of the world's tallest man, Robert Wadlow , and world's largest earthworm , an X-ray photo of

2050-570: The Inner Temple gate dates from 1610 and is named after Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales , eldest son of James I , who did not survive to succeed his father. The eastern part of the street was destroyed by the Great Fire of London in 1666, despite attempts to use the River Fleet to preserve it. Fire damage reached to about Fetter Lane , and the special tribunal of the 'Fire Courts' was held at Clifford's Inn , an inn of Chancery at

2132-676: The London Trocadero , Bangalore , San Francisco , Myrtle Beach , Orlando , Atlantic City , New Jersey, and Las Vegas , Nevada . The Orlando museum, which closed in 2002, was branded The Guinness Records Experience ; the Hollywood, Niagara Falls , Copenhagen, and Gatlinburg , Tennessee museums also previously featured this branding. Guinness World Records has commissioned various television series documenting world record breaking attempts, including: Specials: In 2008, Guinness World Records released its gamer's edition,

2214-603: The Middle Ages , businesses were established and senior clergy lived there; several churches remain from this time including Temple Church and St Bride's . The street became known for printing and publishing at the start of the 16th century and by the 20th century, most British national newspapers operated here. Much of the industry moved out in the 1980s after News International set up cheaper manufacturing premises in Wapping , but some former newspaper buildings are listed and have been preserved. The term Fleet Street remains

2296-682: The 12th century supplements these as the local parish (as opposed to guild church) and is the London home for the Romanian Orthodox church. To the south lies an area of legal buildings known as the Temple , formerly the property of the Knights Templar , which at its core includes two of the four Inns of Court : the Inner Temple and the Middle Temple . There are many lawyers' offices (especially barristers ' chambers) in

2378-412: The 1880s and the initial number of titles had consolidated into a few nationally important ones. By the 20th century, Fleet Street and the area surrounding it were dominated by the national press and related industries. The Daily Express relocated to No. 121–8 Fleet Street in 1931, into a building designed by Sir Owen Williams . It was the first curtain wall building in London. It has survived

2460-407: The 2025 edition, it is now in its 70th year of publication, published in 100 countries and 40 languages, and maintains over 53,000 records in its database. The international franchise has extended beyond print to include television series and museums. The popularity of the franchise has resulted in Guinness World Records becoming the primary international source for cataloguing and verification of

2542-519: The 21st century and are grade II listed: Ye Olde Cock Tavern at No. 22, The Tipperary at No. 66, the Old Bell at No. 95, the Punch Tavern at No. 98 and Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese at No. 145. The El Vino wine bar moved to No. 47 in 1923, quickly becoming popular with lawyers and journalists. Women were not allowed in the bar until 1982, and then only because of

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2624-616: The Dundee-based Sunday Post , left in 2016, as the paper closed its London offices. Despite the domination of the print industry, other businesses were also established on Fleet Street. The Automobile Association was established at No. 18 Fleet Street in 1905. Since the post-Wapping migration, Fleet Street is now more associated with the investment banking, legal and accountancy professions. For example, The Inns of Court and barristers' chambers are down alleys and around courtyards off Fleet Street itself and many of

2706-459: The Internet began to cut into book sales starting in the 2000s, part of a general decline in the book industry. According to a 2017 story by Planet Money of NPR , Guinness began to realise that a lucrative new revenue source to replace falling book sales was the would-be record-holders themselves. While any person can theoretically send in a record to be verified for free, the approval process

2788-587: The Knights Templars' establishment the Whitefriars monastery is recalled by Whitefriars Street and the remains of its undercroft have been preserved in a public display area. A Carmelite church was established on Fleet Street in 1253, but it was destroyed during the Reformation in 1545. Today three churches serve the spiritual needs of the three 'communities' associated with the area of

2870-677: The Official Chart Company's singles and albums charts were combined under the title British Hit Singles & Albums , with Hit Entertainment publishing the book from 2003 to 2006 (under the Guinness World Records brand). After Guinness World Records was sold to The Jim Pattison Group, it was effectively replaced by a series of books published by Ebury Publishing/Random House with the Virgin Book of British Hit Singles first being published in 2007 and with

2952-597: The Pickwick Club , more commonly known as The Pickwick Papers , is set in the street, as is Tellson's Bank in A Tale of Two Cities . The poet John Davidson wrote two works in the late 19th century titled the Fleet Street Eclogues . Arthur Ransome has a chapter in his Bohemia in London (1907) about earlier inhabitants of the street: Ben Jonson, the lexicographer Doctor Samuel Johnson, Coleridge , Hazlitt and Lamb; and about Temple Bar and

3034-735: The Romans. The Saxons did not occupy the Roman city but established Lundenwic further west around what is now Aldwych and the Strand . Many prelates lived around the street during the Middle Ages, including the Bishops of Salisbury and St Davids and the Abbots of Faversham , Tewkesbury , Winchcombe and Cirencester . Tanning of animal hides became established on Fleet Street owing to

3116-504: The audience on various world records and were able to give the correct answer. Ross McWhirter was assassinated by two members of the Provisional Irish Republican Army in 1975, in response to offering a £50,000 reward for information that would lead to capture of members of the organisation. Following Ross's assassination, the feature in the show where questions about records posed by children were answered

3198-600: The basis for a narrative that should have global appeal. Fleet Street Fleet Street is a street in Central London , England. It runs west to east from Temple Bar at the boundary of the Cities of London and Westminster to Ludgate Circus at the site of the London Wall and the River Fleet from which the street was named. The street has been an important through route since Roman times . During

3280-580: The book became a surprise hit, many further editions were printed, eventually settling into a pattern of one revision a year, published in September/October, in time for Christmas. The McWhirters continued to compile it for many years. Both brothers had an encyclopedic memory; on the British children's television series Record Breakers , based upon the book, which was broadcast on the BBC from 1972 to 2001, they would take questions posed by children in

3362-515: The boundary between the Cities of London and Westminster , as a continuation of the Strand from Trafalgar Square . It crosses Chancery Lane and Fetter Lane to reach Ludgate Circus by the London Wall . The road ahead is Ludgate Hill . The street numbering runs consecutively from west to east south-side and then east to west north-side. It links the Roman and medieval boundaries of the City after

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3444-438: The cover with the topic of 'The ocean and the water'. The retirement of Norris McWhirter from his consulting role in 1995 and the subsequent decision by Diageo Plc to sell The Guinness Book of Records brand have shifted the focus of the books from text-oriented to illustrated reference. A selection of records are curated for the book from the full archive but all existing Guinness World Records titles can be accessed by creating

3526-543: The departure of the newspaper in 1989 and was restored in 2001. The Daily Telegraph was based at No. 135–142 . These premises are both Grade II-listed . In the 1930s, No. 67 housed 25 separate publications; by this time the majority of British households bought a daily paper produced from Fleet Street. In 1986 News International owner Rupert Murdoch caused controversy when he moved publication of The Times and The Sun away from Fleet Street to new premises in Wapping , East London . Murdoch believed it

3608-479: The edge of the extent of the fire, to arbitrate on claimants' rights. Properties were rebuilt in the same style as before the fire. During the early 18th century, a notorious upper-class gang known as the Mohocks operated on the street causing regular violence and vandalism. Mrs Salmon's Waxworks was established at Prince Henry's Room in 1711. It had a display of macabre and black-humoured exhibits, including

3690-543: The execution of Charles I ; a Roman lady, Hermonie, whose father survived a sentence of starvation by sucking her breast; and a woman who gave birth to 365 children simultaneously. The waxworks were a favourite haunt of William Hogarth , and survived into the 19th century. The Apollo Society, a music club, was established in 1733 at the Devil Tavern on Fleet Street by composer Maurice Greene . In 1763, supporters of John Wilkes , who had been arrested for libel against

3772-465: The full length of Fleet Street, while route 341 runs between Temple Bar and Fetter Lane. Fleet Street was established as a thoroughfare in Roman London and there is evidence that a route led west from Ludgate by 200 AD. Local excavations revealed remains of a Roman amphitheatre near Ludgate on what was Fleet Prison , but other accounts suggest the area was too marshy for regular inhabitation by

3854-491: The heat, the Trinidad Moruga scorpion has a tender fruit-like flavor, which makes it a sweet-hot combination. This spice -related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Guinness World Records Guinness World Records , known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as The Guinness Book of Records and in previous United States editions as The Guinness Book of World Records ,

3936-479: The late Middle Ages was a conduit that was the main water supply for the area. When Anne Boleyn was crowned queen following her marriage to Henry VIII in 1533, the conduit flowed wine instead of water. By the 16th century, Fleet Street, along with much of the City, was chronically overcrowded, and a royal proclamation in 1580 banned any further building on the street. This had little effect, and construction continued, particularly timber. Prince Henry's Room over

4018-592: The latter was extended. The section of Fleet Street between Temple Bar and Fetter Lane is part of the A4 , a major road running west through London, although it once ran along the entire street and eastwards past St Paul's Churchyard towards Cannon Street . The nearest London Underground stations are Temple , Chancery Lane , and Blackfriars tube/mainline station and the City Thameslink railway station . London Bus routes 4, 11, 15, 23, 26, 76 and 172 run along

4100-564: The legal trade in the four Inns of Court around the area, but also publishing books and plays. In March 1702 the first issue of London's first daily newspaper, the Daily Courant , was published in Fleet Street. It was followed by the Morning Chronicle . The publisher John Murray was founded at No. 32 Fleet Street in 1762 and remained there until 1812, when it moved to Albemarle Street. The popularity of newspapers

4182-555: The listings in the Guinness Book of World Records . A video game , Guinness World Records: The Videogame , was developed by TT Fusion and released for Nintendo DS , Wii and iOS in November 2008. In 2012, Warner Bros. announced the development of a live-action film version of Guinness World Records with Daniel Chun as scriptwriter. The film version will apparently use the heroic achievements of record holders as

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4264-453: The longest egg tossing distances, or for longest time spent playing Grand Theft Auto IV or the largest number of hot dogs consumed in three minutes. Besides records about competitions, it contains such facts such as the heaviest tumour, the most poisonous fungus , the longest-running soap opera and the most valuable life-insurance policy, among others. Many records also relate to the youngest people to have achieved something, such as

4346-462: The main focus of his story, President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow . Oliver asked Guinness to work with Last Week Tonight to adjudicate a record for "Largest cake featuring a picture of someone falling off a horse", but according to Oliver, the offer did not work out after Guinness insisted on a non-disparagement clause. Guinness World Records denied the accusations and stated that they declined Oliver's offer to participate because "it

4428-800: The managing director of the Guinness Breweries , went on a shooting party in the North Slob , by the River Slaney in County Wexford , Ireland. After missing a shot at a golden plover , he became involved in an argument over which was the fastest game bird in Europe, the golden plover or the red grouse (the plover is faster, but neither is the fastest game bird in Europe). That evening at Castlebridge House, he realised that it

4510-480: The name is still synonymous with the printing and publishing industry. In the adjacent St. Brides Lane is the St Bride Library , holding a specialist collection relating to the type and print industry and providing courses in printing technology and methods. On the wall of Magpie Alley, off Bouverie Street , is a mural depicting the history of newspapers in the area. The last two journalists to work for

4592-438: The nearby river, though this increased pollution leading to a ban on dumping rubbish by the mid-14th century. Many taverns and brothels were established along Fleet Street and have been documented as early as the 14th century. Records show that Geoffrey Chaucer was fined two shillings for attacking a friar in Fleet Street, though modern historians believe this is apocryphal. An important landmark in Fleet Street during

4674-437: The north-eastern corner is a bust of Edgar Wallace , and a full-length representation of Mary, Queen of Scots in a first-floor niche at No. 143–144 commissioned by John Tollemache Sinclair . Above the entrance to the old school-house of St Dunstan's is a statue of Queen Elizabeth I provided for the then new Ludgate in 1586 by William Kerwin; it was moved to here following the gate's demolition in 1776. Adjacent to this

4756-430: The old newspaper offices have become the London headquarters for various companies. One example is Goldman Sachs , whose offices are in the old Daily Telegraph and Liverpool Echo buildings of Peterborough Court and Mersey House. C. Hoare & Co , England's oldest privately owned bank, has been operating in Fleet Street since 1672. Child & Co. , now a wholly owned subsidiary of Royal Bank of Scotland , claims it

4838-428: The older book to the "Modern Society" section of the newer edition. As of 2011 , it is required in the guidelines of all "large food" type records that the item be fully edible, and distributed to the public for consumption, to prevent food wastage. Chain letters are also not allowed: "Guinness World Records does not accept any records relating to chain letters, sent by post or e-mail." After Roger Guy English set

4920-416: The presses at Wapping using modern computer-operated technology, rendering the power of the old unions obsolete. The resulting Wapping dispute featured violent protests at Fleet Street and Wapping that lasted over a year, but ultimately other publishers followed suit and moved out of Fleet Street towards Canary Wharf or Southwark . Reuters was the last major news outlet to leave Fleet Street, in 2005. In

5002-496: The publisher to potential litigation . These changes included the removal of all spirit , wine and beer drinking records, along with other unusual records for consuming such unlikely things as bicycles and trees. Other records, such as sword swallowing and rally driving (on public roads), were closed from further entry as the current holders had performed beyond what are considered safe human tolerance levels. There have been instances of closed categories being reopened. For example,

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5084-481: The record for sleeplessness in 1974, the category was discontinued for being too dangerous. At the request of the U.S. Mint , in 1984, the book stopped accepting claims of large hoardings of pennies or other currency. Environmentally unfriendly records (such as the releasing of sky lanterns and party balloons ) are no longer accepted or monitored, in addition to records relating to tobacco or cannabis consumption or preparation. In 2024, Guinness World Records

5166-549: The same year, The Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph announced they were returning to the centre of London from Canary Wharf to new premises in Victoria in 2006. Some publishers have remained on Fleet Street. The London office of D.C. Thomson & Co. , creator of The Beano , is at No. 185. The Secretariat of the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association is at No. 17, as

5248-465: The street. Temple Church was built by the Knights Templar in 1162 and serves the legal profession. St Bride's Church was established as early as the 6th century and was later designed by Sir Christopher Wren in a style that complemented St Mary Le Bow further east in the City. It remains the London church most associated with the print industry. St Dunstan-in-the-West also dates from

5330-403: The sword swallowing category was listed as closed in the 1990 Guinness Book of World Records , but has since been reopened with Johnny Strange breaking a sword swallowing record on Guinness World Records Live. Similarly, the speed beer drinking records which were dropped from the book in 1991, reappeared 17 years later in the 2008 edition, but were moved from the "Human Achievements" section of

5412-486: The top of Ludgate House, 107 Fleet Street , London, the first 198-page edition was bound on 27 August 1955 and went to the top of the British bestseller list by Christmas. The following year, it was introduced into the United States by New York publisher David Boehm and sold 70,000 copies. Since then, Guinness World Records has sold more than 150 million copies in 100 countries and 40 languages. Because

5494-487: The various taverns, including Ben Jonson , John Milton , Izaak Walton , John Dryden , Edmund Burke , Oliver Goldsmith and Charles Lamb . The lexicographer Samuel Johnson lived at Gough Square off Fleet Street between 1748 and 1759; the building has survived into the 21st century. The cartographer John Senex owned a map store, The Sign of the Globe, on Fleet Street between 1725 and his death in 1736. Wynkyn de Worde

5576-676: The vicinity. The gatehouse to Middle Temple Lane was built by Sir Christopher Wren in 1684. To the west, at the junction with Strand are the Royal Courts of Justice whilst at the eastern end of the street the Old Bailey is near Ludgate Circus. As a principal route leading to and from the City, Fleet Street was especially noted for its taverns and coffeehouses. Many notable persons of literary and political fame such as Samuel Johnson frequented these, and journalists would regularly meet in pubs to collect stories. Some have survived to

5658-415: The well-being of potential record breakers. For example, following publication of the "heaviest pet" record, many owners overfed their pets beyond the bounds of what was healthy, and therefore such entries were removed. The Guinness Book also dropped records within their "eating and drinking records" section of Human Achievements in 1991 over concerns that potential competitors could harm themselves and expose

5740-419: The youngest person to visit all nations of the world, currently held by Maurizio Giuliano . Each edition contains a selection of the records from the Guinness World Records database, as well as select new records, with the criteria for inclusion changing from year to year. The latest edition is the 70th, published on 15 September 2023. It is the fourth and last installment featuring Rod Hunt's illustrations on

5822-441: Was a 173% increase over the previous year. In February 2008, NBC aired The Top 100 Guinness World Records of All Time and Guinness World Records made the complete list available on their website. The popularity of the franchise has resulted in Guinness World Records becoming the primary international authority on the cataloguing and verification of a huge number of world records. For many records, Guinness World Records

5904-408: Was a music reference book first published in 1977. It was compiled by BBC Radio 1 DJs Paul Gambaccini and Mike Read with brothers Tim Rice and Jonathan Rice. It was the first in a number of music reference books that were to be published by Guinness Publishing with sister publication The Guinness Book of British Hit Albums coming in 1983. After being sold to Hit Entertainment, the data concerning

5986-586: Was accused of laundering the reputation of the oppressive governments as it set world records for the UAE's police forces and Egypt's military. By 2024, the UAE achieved 526 records, of which 21 were credited to the Emirates' police force. Matthew Hedges, a British academic who was forced to sign a false confession, asked the records body to take down the Abu Dhabi police department's certificate for "most signatures on

6068-571: Was buried in St. Bride's Church in 1535, as was poet Richard Lovelace in 1657, while Samuel Pepys was baptised there in 1633. The Royal Society was based in Crane Court from 1710 to 1782, when it moved to Somerset House on the Strand. The barber Sweeney Todd is traditionally said to have lived and worked during the 18th century in Fleet Street, where he would murder customers and serve their remains as pie fillings. An urban myth example of

6150-604: Was called Norris on the Spot . Norris carried on as the book's sole editor. Guinness Superlatives, later Guinness World Records Limited , was incorporated in London in 1954 to publish the first book. Sterling Publishing owned the rights to the Guinness book in the US for decades until it was repurchased by Guinness in 1989 after an 18-month long lawsuit. The group was owned by Guinness PLC and subsequently Diageo until 2001, when it

6232-684: Was designed by Sir Horace Jones in 1880. It has a statue of a dragon at the top (sometimes called "the Griffin"), and a statue of Queen Victoria in a niche in the side. In the Inner Temple Gardens is a memorial to Charles Lamb . In Salisbury Square there is an obelisk commemorating Robert Waithman , mayor of London between 1823 and 1833, and a blue plaque commemorating the birthplace of diarist and naval secretary Samuel Pepys . Several writers and politicians are associated with Fleet Street, either as residents or regulars to

6314-549: Was impossible to confirm in reference books whether or not the golden plover was Europe's fastest game bird. Beaver knew that there must have been numerous other questions debated nightly among the public, but there was no book in the world with which to settle arguments about records. He realised then that a book supplying the answers to this sort of question might prove successful. Beaver's idea became reality when Guinness employee Christopher Chataway recommended university friends Norris and Ross McWhirter , who had been running

6396-697: Was impossible to produce a newspaper profitably on Fleet Street and the power of the print unions, the National Graphical Association (NGA) and the Society of Graphical and Allied Trades (SOGAT), was too strong (an opinion endorsed by the Prime Minister , Margaret Thatcher ). All Fleet Street print staff were sacked and new staff from the Electrical, Electronic, Telecommunications and Plumbing Union were brought in to operate

6478-478: Was listed as the "most prolific serial killer", having murdered at least 110 people (with Lopez himself claiming he murdered over 300 people) in Colombia, Ecuador and Peru in the late 1960s to 1980s. This was removed after complaints that the listing and category made a competition out of murder. Several world records that were once included in the book have been removed for ethical reasons, including concerns for

6560-579: Was merely an opportunity to mock one of our record-holders," and that Oliver did not specifically request the record for the largest marble cake. As of 2021, the Guinness World Record for "Largest marble cake" remains with Betty Crocker Middle East in Saudi Arabia. Following Oliver's episode, Guinness World Records ' ethics were called into question by human rights groups. In 1976, a Guinness Book of World Records museum opened in

6642-869: Was purchased by Gullane Entertainment for £45.5 million ($ 65 million). Gullane was itself purchased by HIT Entertainment in 2002. In 2006, Apax Partners purchased HIT and subsequently sold Guinness World Records in early 2008 to the Jim Pattison Group , the parent company of Ripley Entertainment , which is licensed to operate Guinness World Records' Attractions. With offices in New York City and Tokyo, Guinness World Records' global headquarters remain in London, specifically South Quay Plaza , Canary Wharf , while its museum attractions are based at Ripley headquarters in Orlando , Florida. Recent editions have focused on record feats by individuals. Competitions range from obvious ones such as Olympic weightlifting to

6724-634: Was restricted due to various taxes during the early 19th century, particularly paper duty. Peele's Coffee-House at No. 177–178 Fleet Street became popular and was the main committee room for the Society for Repealing the Paper Duty, starting in 1858. The society was successful and the duty was abolished in 1861. Along with the repeal of the newspaper tax in 1855, this led to a dramatic expansion of newspaper production in Fleet Street. The "penny press" (newspapers costing one penny ) became popular during

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