The world’s oldest dated cannon in existence, is the Dardanelles Gun, cast in 1464 for Sultan Mehmet II in Turkey. It is made from bronze, weighs 16.8 tonnes (37,037 lb), measures 5.2 m long (17 ft) and had a range of 1,600 m (5,249 ft) when firing a 600-mm diameter, 304-kg (670-lb) projectile. The bombard is currently on display at the Royal Armouries, Fort Nelson, Hampshire, UK. The gun is actually in two parts, joined by an incredible gun screw thread. It is thought that
Continue reading →
The oldest cat living is Poppy, aged 24 as of 14 February 2014. Poppy lives with her owner, Jacqueline West (UK), in Bournemouth, Dorset, UK.
The world’s oldest chinchilla ever was Bouncer, who was born on 1 July 1977 and owned by Jenny Ann Bowen (UK) of Great Barr, Birmingham, UK. Bouncer died on 3 October 2005, at an incredible age of 28 years, 94 days. The chinchilla was sold by Arthur T. Sweeney of Chinchilla Ranch, Nottingham on 29 May 1978, and can confirm the birth date. Mr Sweeney is a chinchilla specialist and mentioned that the average lifespan is 10-14 years.
Goonhilly Satellite Earth Station on the Lizard Peninsula, Cornwall, UK, has 59 antennae of various sizes in operation today. ‘Arthur’ (Goonhilly One) began operation on 11 July 1962 and today continues to carry telephony and data traffic around the world. It received the first live transatlantic television signals from the Telstar satellite.
The oldest complete set of cutlery in existence is The Altenstetter Service,a rare German basse-taille enamelled silver and parcel-gilt set created by the Renaissance goldsmith David Altenstetter in 1615. The service, which includes 12 knives, spoons, sweetmeat forks and three salt cellars, all intricately carved with animals, bagpipes and dragons, was expected to reach a hammer price of up to £500,000 (then $860,000) when sent to auction at Christies, London, UK, in December 2005. http://web.channel4.com/4homes/news_feed/index.jsp?id=20979 http://www.smpub.com/ubb/Forum7/HTML/000307.html http://www.christies.com/presscenter/pdf/11012005/10312005b.pdf
The oldest dj is Ruth Flowers (UK), who played over 38 sets including festivals and clubs over the world in 2010, when she claimed to be 69. Her stage name is Mamy Rock.
The oldest horse twins are Taff and Griff, who were born in 1982 and are owned by the Veteran Horse Society, Cardigan, North Pembrokeshire, UK. Tiff and Griff are identical male twins of the Cremello breed, measuring 11.2 hh. Taff and Griff have spent their entire lives together giving children rides at London Zoo before coming to the Veteran Horse Society.
Anne Graves (UK, b. 5 March 1935) is the oldest regular hockey player. She has played the whole of the 2010/11 season for the Stevenage Ladies 5’s in the Five Counties Division 7 Hockey League in Stevenage, UK, aged 76. Anne’s most recent competitive game was 7 Mar 2009, for Stevenage Ladies 5’s against Milton Keynes Ladies. She played 13 league games in the 2010/11 season playing all competitive fixtures.
The Old Course at St Andrews Links in Fife, Scotland, UK, is the oldest golf course in the world. Archbishop Hamilton’s Charter in 1552 is the earliest documentary evidence that allowed the people of St Andrews to play golf on the Links. The charter is principally a license to allow Archbishop Hamilton to breed rabbits on the links but the document also allows them to continue the “playing at golf, futball, schuting at all gamis, with all uther maner of pastyme as ever thai plais.”
The world’s oldest goat ever is McGinty who lived until the grand age of 22 years 5 months. Until her death in November 2003, McGinty was owned by Doris C. Long (UK) of Hayling Island, Hampshire, UK. McGinty is a male pygmy goat. The average life span of pygmy goats is 10-15 years.