Alan Ross McWhirter (12 August 1925 - 27 November 1975), known as Ross McWhirter, was, with his twin brother, Norris McWhirter, co-founder of the Guinness Book of Records. August 12 is the 224th day of the year (225th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1925 (MCMXXV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... November 27 is the 331st day (332nd on leap years) of the year. ... 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1975 calendar). ... Norris Dewar McWhirter, CBE (August 12, 1925 - April 19, 2004) was a writer, right wing political activist and television presenter. ... Suresh Joachim, minutes away from breaking the ironing world record at 55 hours and 5 minutes, at Shoppers World, Brampton. ...

Early Life

McWhirter was the son of a newspaper editor (Sunday Pictorial), William McWhirter and Margaret Williamson ('Bunty'). He was born at 10 Branscombe Gardens, ("Griffnock" after Griffnock Church in Glasgow where the McWhirters were married) Winchmore Hill, London, N21. His elder brother Kennedy was born in 1923. In 1929 as William was working on the founding of the Northcliffe Newspapers chain of provincial newspapers, the family moved to Aberfoyle, in Broad Walk Winchmore Hill. Like his brothers Ross was educated at Marlborough College and Oxford University (Trinity College). Glasgow (or Glaschu in Gaelic) is Scotlands largest city and unitary council, situated on the River Clyde in the countrys west central lowlands. ... Winchmore Hill is a district in the London Borough of Enfield in London bounded on the east by Green Lanes (the A105) and on the west by Grovelands Park. ... Part of the London skyline viewed from the South Bank London is the most populous city in the European Union, with an estimated population on 1 January 2005 of 7. ... 1923 (MCMXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... -1... Marlborough College is a British boarding school in the county of Wiltshire, founded in 1843 for the education of the sons of Church of England clergy, although it now accepts both boys and girls of all beliefs. ... The University of Oxford, located in the city of Oxford in England, is the oldest university in the English-speaking world. ... College name Trinity College Named after The Holy Trinity Established 1555 Sister College Churchill College President The Hon. ...

Sports

Ross and Norris both became sports journalists in 1950. In 1951 they published Get to Your Marks and later in 1951 they founded an agency to provide facts and figures to Fleet Street. 1950 (MCML) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1951 (MCMLI) was a common year starting on Monday; see its calendar. ... For the television series tentatively titled Fleet Street, see Boston Legal. ...

In 1954 the twins were invited by the Guinness brewery to compile a book of records, giving birth to the phenomenon known as the Guinness Book of Records. 1954 (MCMLIV) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Arthur Guinness Son & Co. ...

Television

Both brothers were regulars on the BBC show Record Breakers. They were noted for their photographic memory, enabling them to provide detailed answers to any questions from the audience about entries in the Guinness Book of Records. Norris continued on the programme after Ross's death. ÆÀÉRecord Breakers was a British Guinness Book of Records themed childrens TV show, originally presented by Roy Castle with twin brothers Norris McWhirter and Ross McWhirter. ... Photographic memory or eidetic memory is the ability to recall images, sounds, or objects in memory with great accuracy and in seemingly unlimited volume. ... Suresh Joachim, minutes away from breaking the ironing world record at 55 hours and 5 minutes, at Shoppers World, Brampton. ...

Political activity

He was an active Conservative in the early 1960s and fought, unsuccessfully, the seat of Edmonton in the 1964 general election. Both Ross and his brother held right-wing views on topics such as immigration, Rhodesia, South Africa, British membership of the European Economic Community and Northern Ireland. Always vigorous campaigners for their version of the liberty of the individual, they founded the 'National Association for Freedom', later 'The Freedom Association', in the 1970s. This organisation initiated legal challenges against the trade union movement in the U.K., CND and the E.E.C. in Brussels. The Conservative Party is the largest political party on the right-of-centre in the United Kingdom. ... The 1960s decade refers to the years from 1960 to 1969, inclusive. ... More than one place has the name Edmonton. ... For the Nintendo 64 emulator, see 1964 (Emulator). ... In politics, right-wing, the political right, or simply the right, are terms which refer, with no particular precision, to the segment of the political spectrum in opposition to left-wing politics. ... National motto: Sit Nomine Digna (Latin: May she be worthy of the name} Official language English Capital Salisbury Political system Parliamentary system Form of government Republic - Last President John Wrathall - Prime Minister Ian Smith Area  - Total  - % water 390 580 km² 1% Population  - 1978 est. ... The European Community (EC), most important of three European Communities, was originally founded on March 25, 1957 by the signing of the Treaty of Rome under the name of European Economic Community. ... official_languages = Englishde facto5| Dieu et mon droit (Royal motto) (French for God and my right)3 Northern Irelands location within the UK Official languages English, Irish, Ulster Scots Capital and largest city Belfast First Minister Office suspended Area  - Total Ranked 4th 13,843 km² Population  - Total (2001)  - Density Ranked... The Freedom Association is a right-wing British pressure group. ... The 1970s in its most obvious sense refers to the decade between 1970 and 1979. ... A union (labor union in American English; trade union, sometimes trades union, in British English; either labour union or trade union in Canadian English) is a legal entity consisting of employees or workers having a common interest, such as all the assembly workers for one employer, or all the workers... Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament logo In British politics, the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament has been at the forefront of the peace movement in the United Kingdom and claims to be Europes largest single-issue peace campaign. ... The European Community (EC), most important of three European Communities, was originally founded on March 25, 1957 by the signing of the Treaty of Rome under the name of European Economic Community. ...

In 1975, McWhirter offered a £50,000 reward for information leading to a conviction for several recent high-profile bombings that were publicly claimed by the Provisional IRA, and also called for stronger restrictions on the Irish community living in Britain. A short time later he was shot dead on his front doorstep. 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1975 calendar). ... The Provisional Irish Republican Army (PIRA) is a paramilitary group which aimed, through the use of violence, to achieve three goals: (i) British withdrawal from Ireland, (ii) the political unification of Ireland through the merger of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland , and (iii) the creation of an all...

Death

On November 27, 1975, Ross McWhirter was shot dead by two Irish Republican Army gunmen. Mr McWhirter was hit at close range in the head and chest at 18:45 GMT. He was taken to a local hospital, but died soon after being admitted. The two gunmen are thought to have waited in the garden of the couple's Enfield house for an hour while Mr McWhirter was in the house preparing to go out to the theatre. When his wife arrived home, she got out of her blue Ford Granada and was approached by two men holding pistols. She ran into the house as her husband came to the front door and seconds later heard two shots. The killers then used her car to escape. Police later found the car abandoned a few miles away in Tottenham. November 27 is the 331st day (332nd on leap years) of the year. ... 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1975 calendar). ... The West Cork Flying Column during the War of Independence. ... For alternate meanings of GMT, see GMT (disambiguation). ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Marriage is a relationship that plays a key role in the definition of many families. ... Ford may mean a number of things: A ford is a river crossing. ... The Ford Granada was the name for several cars produced by the Ford Motor Company. ... A pistol is a usually small, projectile weapon, normally fired with one hand. ... Arms of the Municipal Borough of Tottenham Tottenham is a place in the London Borough of Haringey. ...

The IRA gang who killed Ross McWhirter and carried out dozens of other attacks in London throughout 1975 was apprehended two weeks later. Martin O'Connell, Edward Butler, Harry Duggan and Hugh Doherty exchanged shots with police in central London on 6 December and escaped to a flat in Balcombe Street, taking two hostages. The four men were arrested after a six-day siege, charged with 10 murders and 20 bombings and jailed for life in 1977. They were freed in April 1999 under the terms of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement - the multi-party peace deal for Northern Ireland. 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1975 calendar). ... Martin OConnell can refer to: Martin OConnell (footballer) Martin OConnell (Canadian politician) This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Edward Butler (1823-1879), was born in Kilkenny, Ireland. ... Hugh Lawrence Laurie Doherty (October 8, 1875 - August 21, 1919) was a British male tennis player and younger brother of Reggie Doherty. ... Part of the London skyline viewed from the South Bank London is the most populous city in the European Union, with an estimated population on 1 January 2005 of 7. ... December 6 is the 340th day (341st on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the album by Ash, see 1977 (album). ... Look up April in Wiktionary, the free dictionary April is the fourth month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of four with the length of 30 days. ... 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... The Belfast Agreement (also known as the Good Friday Agreement and, more rarely, as the Stormont Agreement) was signed in Belfast on April 10, 1998 by the British and Irish Governments and endorsed by most Northern Ireland political parties. ...

Selected bibliography

Sports and general encyclopædia

• Get To Your Marks (1951, with Norris McWhirter)
• Guinness Book of Records (1955-1975, with Norris McWhirter)
• Ross: The Story of a Shared Life (Norris McWhirter) ISBN 0902782231