Angus McAskill
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Angus 'Giant' McAskill (1825 – 8 August, 1863) was a famous "giant" born on Harris in the Hebrides, in Scotland. He was a lad of 3 to 6 when his family migrated to Cape Breton Island, in present-day Nova Scotia.
He is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the tallest "true" giant, by which they mean someone whose height does not result from a medical condition such as acromegaly. His height is purported to have been 7 feet, 9 inches. He grew up in Englishtown, St.Ann's, Victoria County where he worked as a labourer in his teens.
As McAskill's size grew so did his fame. He took up an offer and went on tour throughout British North America, the United States and the West Indies to show himself to curiosity seekers, making several trips between 1849 and 1855.
Upon retiring from touring, McAskill returned to his hometown and became a grist mill owner and shopkeeper. He died of "brain fever" on August 8, 1863.
External link
- Biography at the Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online (http://www.biographi.ca/EN/ShowBio.asp?BioId=38697)
- MacAskill.com (http://www.macaskill.com/GeneralTallTales/Angus/angus.html)