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ANGUS MACASKILL – The Cape Breton Giant
In 1981 the Guinness Book of World Records recognized MacAskill as the largest true giant to have ever lived, the strongest man who ever lived and the man with the largest chest measurements of any non-obese man.
The distinction of his status as a ‘true’ giant hinges on the fact the Angus was purported to be free of any growth abnormalities.His stature was proportional in every way and his immense size and strength was due only to his natural genetic gifts.
MacAskill was born in 1825 on the Isle of Berneray in the Sound of Harris, Scotland. He moved to Nova Scotia at with his family as a child and eventually settled in the fishing community of Englishtown, Cape Breton Island somewhere between 1830 and 1835.
In adulthood, MacAskill stood 7 ft 10 in tall and weighed an astonishing 580 lbs. His shoulders measured an otherworldly 44 inches wide, the palm of his hand was nearly a foot wide and his shoes measured 19 inches in length. Despite these startling proportions, he was reportedly a handsome man with deep blue eyes and a deep voice described and ‘soothing’ and ‘musical. In his home community he was affectionately known as Big Boy or ‘Gille Mòr’ and to others he was known simply as the ‘Cape Breton Giant’.
During his lifetime, MacAskill was known for his incredible feats of strength.These displays began well before he entered into exhibition and mainly manifested from MacAskill showing off while doing daily menial chores. MacAskill was able to lift a 2800 lb ship’s anchor to chest height. Was known to carry barrels weighing over 300lbs under each arm, was able to singlehandedly set a 40-foot mast into a schooner deck and was also known to lift a full-grown horse hover a four-foot fence.
In 1849 MacAskill entered show business and went to work for P.T. Barnum‘s circus, appearing next to General Tom Thumb. Queen Victoria heard stories about MacAskill’s great strength and invited him to appear before her to give a demonstration at Windsor Castle, after which she proclaimed him to be “the tallest, stoutest and strongest man to ever enter the palace”, and presented him with two gold rings in appreciation.
After a show business career demonstrating his size and strength in Europe and North America, MacAskill returned to his home community of Englishtown and purchased a gristmill and several other real estate holdings as well as a general store.
In the summer of 1863 MacAskill undertook a trip to the colonial capital at Halifax where he had been planning to sell produce and purchase stock for his store from the city’s wholesalers which he would need for the winter season. During the trip he suddenly became seriously ill and was returned to St. Ann’s where he died peacefully in his sleep on August 8, 1863.
To this day, many tall tales about MacAskill continue to circulate due to the fact that his gentle manner contrasted his appearance so dramatically that he endeared all who knew of him.
RELATED READING FROM THE AMAZON LIBRARY
The Cape Breton Giant;: A truthful memoir,
image: MacAskill and Tom Thumb
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THE AUTHOR
J Tithonus Pednaud has dedicated this site to highlighting the remarkable lives of those born exceedingly different. These so-called freaks and human oddities stand as uplifting testaments to human spirit and serve as inspiring examples of human tenacity.
32 Responses to “ANGUS MACASKILL – The Cape Breton Giant”
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What about Mills Darden? He stood 7 foot 6 and weighed 1,020 pounds….which perhaps even at that height was onbeste.
Unfortunately, Mills Darden was never officially measured or weighed.
I just spent an inordinate amount of time reading your website. Congratulations on your excellent collection of curious data! Also–I love the highly stylish (and addictive) layout!
I am gobsmacked at the rich history Nova Scotia has, I just moved back to Nova Scotia two years ago and I am learning new thing everyday. I wonder if MacAskill’s descendents or relatives still live in and around the Cape. I know we have a restaurant in Halifax named MacAskill’s I wonder if it is honour of the gentle giant.
his relatives live in dallas, his great great great grandson andrew mccaskil lives in addison and i know him personally
I’m a decedent of his family. I from South Carolina.
Angus Macaskill was a distand relative of mine. I think its fascinating to learn about him and his life.
My great-grandfather’s aunt was married to one of the giants nephews.
Cape Breton is the most amazing place on earth. I plan to move down from Toronto and open a nightclub there that features all the great musical performers of the area! Stay tuned..
Angus Macaskill is also a distant relative of mine… perhaps Missie and I are related. He was a distant cousin. His mother and maternal great-great Grandmother were sisters… so 5th cousin??
im related to him
I’m related as well – my great, great uncle on my father’s, mother’s side. Does that make sense? Haha.
I’m also related, Coffen is my father’s adopted name. His father’s name is MacCaskill.
Hmmm im not sure i belive the 44 inch across the shoulders pretty big dude though
Guess im a cousin 8 times removed have ason whos six four 280lbs small by macskills standards
I am also a desendent & have been to the museum in Dunvegan a few times as it’s owned by my fathers 2nd cousin.Standing next to my Granda & his brother when we were kids was like standing next to giants as one was 6ft6in and the other 6ft8in but then when i was 20 I first visited the museum & realised they were so small in comparision.
Directly related through his sister – Annie McAskill was my grandmother. I only heard about him as a child, as well as Duncan – any time I got out-of-line, my grandmother would say that I had ” the Duncan” in me!
Dumb f’n luck,I cant believe i found this,WOW,i am looking up from my desk at a Nova Scotia from Scotland framed MacAskill choat-of-arms passed down from my grandmother,who’s parents where from Scotland,and Gealic was thier first language,moved to N.S.learned english and thier daughter moved to Lincoln MA.But this is a shocker,not much records or contacts kept,and we always find lots of unknown relatives from N.S. down threw Maine,NH.MA.ect.I wonder how direct this man was to my family? sorry ya’ll,this really wasnt what i thought i would run into this evening.
William Wallace, d. 1305, was supposedly 6′ 7″ tall, hence a large-sized man. Must be nice to eat the right foods, along with the rest of the reasons for such growth. If we are to believe the Bible, which I personally do, there were ‘giants in the earth’. So far as I know, there is no verified archaeological evidence for this, but if we don’t blow ourselves off the planet first, this century might provide some excavated remains. I don’t expect to be here for that, but it is an intriguing prospect nevertheless.
It’s very difficult to establish what is true and what is false about Wallace as his persona is practically legendary at this point.
somehow, i am related to angus macaskill
I’ve notices a lot of his relatives have been visiting lately.
Wasn’t Robert Pershing Wadlow 8’11″ ?
Indeed he was, but he was a pituitary giant. Angus was considered the tallest ‘true genetic giant’. His enormous size was the result of genetics and not the result of illness or disease.
I am a relative as well. i think he was my Great Great Grandmothers cousin, Mary Katherine (Mac Askill) Dalzell. Some of us must be related
Giant size, Giant heart, Giant life! We may not be as tall as Angus, but the kindness has been passed down through every generation!!
I knew a relative Maynard Clayton MacAskill use to be a Doctor in Neil’s Harbour C.B.
Everyone in earth is related you are never more than some1s 40th cousin so I to am distantly related to him and indeed all of you