Angus MacAskill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Angus MacAskill
|
|
|---|---|
Angus MacAskill compared with a 6'5" man
|
|
| Born | 1825 |
| Died | 8 August 1863 (aged 37–38) Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
|
| Cause of death | Brain fever |
| Nationality | Scottish |
| Known for | Feats of strength and height |
| Height | 7 ft 10 in (2.36 m) |
Angus MacAskill (1825 – 8 August 1863) was a very tall man from Scotland who became famous in Canada. He was known as the "Cape Breton Giant" because of his amazing height and strength. The 1981 Guinness Book of World Records says he was the tallest person ever who didn't have a medical condition causing his height. He was 7 feet 9 inches (2.36 meters) tall and had a huge chest measurement of 80 inches (200 cm).
Contents
Early Life of Angus MacAskill
Angus MacAskill was born in 1825 on the Isle of Berneray in Scotland. His father was Norman MacAskill, who was 5 feet 9 inches tall. His mother was Christina Campbell. Angus was one of thirteen children, but he was a normal-sized baby.
Around 1831, when Angus was about six years old, his family moved to a fishing village called Englishtown on Cape Breton Island, Canada.
How Angus Grew So Tall
Angus was a regular size as a child. But when he became a teenager, he started growing very quickly. By the time he was 20, he was 7 feet 4 inches tall. Within a year or two, he reached his full height of 7 feet 10 inches (2.36 meters).
He was also very strong and well-built. His early adult weight was about 580 pounds (263 kg). His shoulders were 44 inches (112 cm) wide. His hands were huge, with palms 8 inches (20 cm) wide and 12 inches (30 cm) long. His wrists were 13.5 inches (34 cm) around, and his ankles were 18 inches (46 cm) around. By 1863, he wore boots that were 17.5 inches (44 cm) long.
People described him as having "deep-set blue eyes" and a "mild and gentle manner." In his hometown, he was called "Gille Mòr," which means "Big Boy." He was also known as the "Cape Breton Giant."
A Gentle Giant's Story
When Angus was about 14, he went to a dance in North Sydney with a fishing crew. Someone at the dance bothered him, and Angus accidentally hit the person's jaw. The man fell to the floor and was unconscious for a long time. Angus was so worried he had killed him that he prayed on his knees. This story shows that even though he was huge, he was a kind and gentle person.
Angus MacAskill's Adult Career
Angus MacAskill became famous for his incredible strength. He could do amazing things. For example, he could lift a ship's anchor that weighed 2800 pounds (1270 kg) up to his chest! He could also carry two barrels, each weighing over 350 pounds (159 kg), one under each arm. People said he could lift a 100-pound (50 kg) weight with just two fingers and hold it out for ten minutes.
Joining the Circus
In 1849, Angus decided to join show business. He worked for P.T. Barnum's famous circus. He even appeared alongside another famous performer, General Tom Thumb. In 1853, he toured places like the West Indies and Cuba, showing off his amazing size and strength.
Meeting Queen Victoria
Stories about Angus's great strength reached Queen Victoria in England. She invited him to Windsor Castle to see a demonstration. After watching him, she said he was "the tallest, stoutest and strongest man to ever enter the palace." She was so impressed that she gave him two gold rings as a gift.
Helping Fishermen and Other Feats
The fishermen in his hometown of St. Ann's were amazed by Angus's strength. While they worked hard to bail water out of their boats, Angus could simply tip his two-ton boat on its side to empty the water. He was also said to have single-handedly put a 40-foot (12-meter) mast into a schooner. Another story says he could lift a fully grown horse over a four-foot fence!
There is a story about Angus lifting a very heavy anchor, possibly in New York or New Orleans. French sailors dared him to lift an anchor that weighed between 2200 and 2700 pounds (998-1225 kg). Angus easily lifted it and walked with it. However, one of the anchor's sharp parts caught his shoulder, causing an injury. But this injury did not lead to his death, as he lived for many more years.
After his career showing off his size and strength in Europe and North America, Angus returned to his home in Englishtown. He bought a gristmill (a place to grind grain), a general store, and other properties.
Death of Angus MacAskill
In the summer of 1863, Angus MacAskill traveled to Halifax. He planned to sell his farm produce and buy supplies for his store for the winter. During this trip, he suddenly became very ill. He was quickly brought back home to St. Ann's. His family moved him to his parents' house, where they had to make his childhood bed longer so he could fit.
Doctors said he had "brain fever." After being sick for about a week, Angus MacAskill died peacefully in his sleep on August 8, 1863. Many neighbors and the local minister were there.
The newspaper in Halifax, the Acadian Recorder, reported his death on August 15, 1863. It said he was "by far the tallest man in Nova Scotia, perhaps in British America." The newspaper also mentioned that his "mild and gentle manner endeared him to all." The whole area was sad about his death. He was buried in the Englishtown Cemetery next to his parents. His burial mound is much larger than theirs, showing his huge size.
Museum and Legacy of Angus MacAskill
Angus MacAskill's memory lived on in Englishtown for many years. His large timber-frame house, with its huge door frames, stood on the edge of Kelly's Mountain. Even in the 1950s, the ruins of the house were still there, and the foundation could be seen into the 1980s.
Around 1900, the Government of Nova Scotia replaced his original grave marker because it was falling apart. Some of Angus's personal items from his house, like a bed frame, clothes, and a chair, were saved. For many years in the mid-20th century, these items were shown at the nearby Gaelic College of Celtic Arts and Crafts.
Later, in the late 1980s, these items were moved back to Englishtown. The "Giant MacAskill Museum" was opened on a part of Angus's old property by the "Giant MacAskill Heirs Association." This museum has the collection from the Gaelic College and many other items kept by his family.
Another "Giant MacAskill Museum" was opened in 1989 in Dunvegan on the Isle of Skye in Scotland. This museum has copies of some items from the Englishtown museum. It is managed by Peter MacAskill, who is the father of the famous street trials cyclist Danny MacAskill.
In 1977, a new cable ferry that crosses the 700-foot (213-meter) wide entrance to St. Ann's Harbour was named the Angus MacAskill. This ferry, which runs between Englishtown and Jersey Cove, became the busiest ferry service in Nova Scotia. It carried hundreds of thousands of people every year until it was replaced in 2008 by a new vessel called the Torquil MacLean.
See also
In Spanish: Angus MacAskill para niños
