Women's World Records
Car Parking
The smallest kerbside space successfully reversed into by a woman was one of
63ft 2ins, equivalent to three standard parking spaces, by Mrs Elizabeth
Simpkins, driving an unmodified Vauxhall Nova Swing on October 12, 1993.
She started the manoeuvre at 11.15am in Ropergate, Pontefract, and
successfully parked within three feet of the pavement in 8 hours 14 minutes
later. There was slight damage to the bumpers and wings of her own and two
adjoining cars, as well as a shop frontage and two lampposts.
Shop Dithering
The longest time spent dithering in a shop was 12 days between August 21and
September 2 1995 by Mrs Sandra Wilks in the Birmingham branch of
DorothyPerkins. Entering the shop on a Saturday morning, Mrs Wilks could not
chose between two near identical dresses which were both in a sale. After
one hour, her husband sitting on a chair in the changing room with
his head in his hands, told her to buy both. Mrs Wilks eventually bought one
for £12.99, only to return the following day and exchange it for the other
one. To date, she has yet to wear it.
Mrs Wilks also holds the record for window-shopping longevity, when starting
in September 12 1995; she stood motionless gazing at a pair of shoes in
Clinkard's window in Kidderminster for three weeks and two days before
eventually going home.
Talking About Nothing
Mrs Mary Caterham and Mrs Marjorie Steele sat in a kitchen in Blackburn,
Lancashire, and talked about nothing whatsoever for four and a half months
from May 1 to August 7 1978, pausing only for coffee, cakes and toilet
visits. Throughout the whole time, no information was exchanged and neither
woman gained any new knowledge whatsoever. The outdoor record for talking
about nothing is held by Mrs Vera Etherington and her neighbour Mrs Dolly
Booth, of Ipswich, who between November 11, 1983 and January 12, 1984
chuntered on over their fence in an unenlightening dialogue lasting almost
62 days until Mrs Booth remembered she'd left the bath running.
Film Confusion
The greatest length of time a woman has watched a film with her husband
without asking a stupid plot related question was achieved on 28 October
1990, when Mrs Ethel Brunswick sat down with her husband to watch the
Ipcress File. She watched in silence for a breath, taking 2 mins 40 secs
before asking "Is he a goodie or a baddie then, him in the glasses?",
revealing a
staggering level of ignorance. This broke her own record set in 1962 when
she sat through 2mins 38secs of 633 Squadron before asking, "Is this a war
film".
Group Toilet Visit
The record for the largest group of women to visit a toilet simultaneously
is held by 147 workers at the Department of Social Security, Longbenton. At
their annual Christmas celebration at a nightclub in Newcastle-upon-Tyne on
October 12 1994, Mrs Beryl Crabtree got up to go to the toilet and was
immediately followed by 146 other members of the party. Moving as a mass,
the
group entered the toilet at 9.52pm and, after waiting for everyone to
finish, emerged 2hrs 37mins later.
Incorrect Driving
The longest journey completed with the handbrake on was one of 313 miles
from Stranraer to Hollyhead by Dr Julie Thorn at the wheel of a Saab 900 on
April 2, 1987. Dr Thorn actually smelled burning two miles into the journey
at Aird but pressed on to Hollyhead with smoke billowing from the rear
wheels. This journey also holds the record for the longest completed journey
with the choke fully out and the indicator flashing.
Jumble Sale Massacre
The greatest number of old ladies to perish while fighting at a jumble sale
is 98, at a Methodist Church Hall in Castleford, West Yorkshire on February
12, 1991. When the doors opened at 10am, the initial scramble to get in cost
16 lives, a further 25 being killed in a crush at the first table. A
seven-way skirmish then broke out over a pinafore dress costing 10p, which
escalated into a full-scale melee resulting in another 18 lives being lost.
A pitched battle over a headscarf then ensued and quickly spread throughout
the hall, claiming 39 old women. The jumble sale raised £5.28 for the local
Boy Scouts.
Gossiping
On February 18 1992, Joyce Blatherwick, a close friend of Agnes Banbury,
popped round for a cup of tea and a chat, during the course of which she
told Mrs Banbury, in the strictest confidence, that she was having an affair
with the local butcher. After Mrs Blatherwick left at 2.10pm, Mrs Banbury
immediately began to tell everyone, swearing them all to secrecy. By 2.30pm,
she had told 128 people the news. BY 2.50pm it had risen to 372 and by 4pm
that afternoon, 2,774 knew of the affair, including the local amateur
dramatic society, several knitting circles, a coach load of American
tourists, which she flagged down, and the butchers wife. When a tired Mrs
Banbury went to bed at 11.55pm that night, Mrs Blatherwicks affair was
common knowledge to a staggering 75,338 people, enough to fill the old Wembley Stadium!
If you know of any more amazing feats please add to this post!
Car Parking
The smallest kerbside space successfully reversed into by a woman was one of
63ft 2ins, equivalent to three standard parking spaces, by Mrs Elizabeth
Simpkins, driving an unmodified Vauxhall Nova Swing on October 12, 1993.
She started the manoeuvre at 11.15am in Ropergate, Pontefract, and
successfully parked within three feet of the pavement in 8 hours 14 minutes
later. There was slight damage to the bumpers and wings of her own and two
adjoining cars, as well as a shop frontage and two lampposts.
Shop Dithering
The longest time spent dithering in a shop was 12 days between August 21and
September 2 1995 by Mrs Sandra Wilks in the Birmingham branch of
DorothyPerkins. Entering the shop on a Saturday morning, Mrs Wilks could not
chose between two near identical dresses which were both in a sale. After
one hour, her husband sitting on a chair in the changing room with
his head in his hands, told her to buy both. Mrs Wilks eventually bought one
for £12.99, only to return the following day and exchange it for the other
one. To date, she has yet to wear it.
Mrs Wilks also holds the record for window-shopping longevity, when starting
in September 12 1995; she stood motionless gazing at a pair of shoes in
Clinkard's window in Kidderminster for three weeks and two days before
eventually going home.
Talking About Nothing
Mrs Mary Caterham and Mrs Marjorie Steele sat in a kitchen in Blackburn,
Lancashire, and talked about nothing whatsoever for four and a half months
from May 1 to August 7 1978, pausing only for coffee, cakes and toilet
visits. Throughout the whole time, no information was exchanged and neither
woman gained any new knowledge whatsoever. The outdoor record for talking
about nothing is held by Mrs Vera Etherington and her neighbour Mrs Dolly
Booth, of Ipswich, who between November 11, 1983 and January 12, 1984
chuntered on over their fence in an unenlightening dialogue lasting almost
62 days until Mrs Booth remembered she'd left the bath running.
Film Confusion
The greatest length of time a woman has watched a film with her husband
without asking a stupid plot related question was achieved on 28 October
1990, when Mrs Ethel Brunswick sat down with her husband to watch the
Ipcress File. She watched in silence for a breath, taking 2 mins 40 secs
before asking "Is he a goodie or a baddie then, him in the glasses?",
revealing a
staggering level of ignorance. This broke her own record set in 1962 when
she sat through 2mins 38secs of 633 Squadron before asking, "Is this a war
film".
Group Toilet Visit
The record for the largest group of women to visit a toilet simultaneously
is held by 147 workers at the Department of Social Security, Longbenton. At
their annual Christmas celebration at a nightclub in Newcastle-upon-Tyne on
October 12 1994, Mrs Beryl Crabtree got up to go to the toilet and was
immediately followed by 146 other members of the party. Moving as a mass,
the
group entered the toilet at 9.52pm and, after waiting for everyone to
finish, emerged 2hrs 37mins later.
Incorrect Driving
The longest journey completed with the handbrake on was one of 313 miles
from Stranraer to Hollyhead by Dr Julie Thorn at the wheel of a Saab 900 on
April 2, 1987. Dr Thorn actually smelled burning two miles into the journey
at Aird but pressed on to Hollyhead with smoke billowing from the rear
wheels. This journey also holds the record for the longest completed journey
with the choke fully out and the indicator flashing.
Jumble Sale Massacre
The greatest number of old ladies to perish while fighting at a jumble sale
is 98, at a Methodist Church Hall in Castleford, West Yorkshire on February
12, 1991. When the doors opened at 10am, the initial scramble to get in cost
16 lives, a further 25 being killed in a crush at the first table. A
seven-way skirmish then broke out over a pinafore dress costing 10p, which
escalated into a full-scale melee resulting in another 18 lives being lost.
A pitched battle over a headscarf then ensued and quickly spread throughout
the hall, claiming 39 old women. The jumble sale raised £5.28 for the local
Boy Scouts.
Gossiping
On February 18 1992, Joyce Blatherwick, a close friend of Agnes Banbury,
popped round for a cup of tea and a chat, during the course of which she
told Mrs Banbury, in the strictest confidence, that she was having an affair
with the local butcher. After Mrs Blatherwick left at 2.10pm, Mrs Banbury
immediately began to tell everyone, swearing them all to secrecy. By 2.30pm,
she had told 128 people the news. BY 2.50pm it had risen to 372 and by 4pm
that afternoon, 2,774 knew of the affair, including the local amateur
dramatic society, several knitting circles, a coach load of American
tourists, which she flagged down, and the butchers wife. When a tired Mrs
Banbury went to bed at 11.55pm that night, Mrs Blatherwicks affair was
common knowledge to a staggering 75,338 people, enough to fill the old Wembley Stadium!
If you know of any more amazing feats please add to this post!
