A Giant Leaves His Mark

Walking directions:  Leaving 51 King Street, head southeast on King St toward Beacon St for 290 m, turn left onto Pleasant St for 17 m.   Look at the sidewalk for Giant MacAskill's footprint.  Place your own foot in the spot and imagine for a moment the size of this gentle Cape Breton giant. You can choose to continue to the next story (Flahaven Murder), or continue on Commercial Street to the Ballast Grounds for story number 7. 

Angus Mòr MacAskill, frequently referred to as Giant MacAskill (1825-August 8, 1863), was known as the world's largest "true" giant (normal proportions, no growth abnormalities). The 1981 Guinness Book of World Records lists Angus as the tallest natural giant who ever lived, the strongest man who ever lived, and the man having the largest chest measurements of any non-obese man (80 inches).

MacAskill was born on the Isle of Berneray in the Sound of Harris, Scotland, and emigrated to Nova Scotia at a young age. After several years in Stornoway, Outer Hebrides with his family, they finally settled in the fishing community of Englishtown, Cape Breton Island somewhere between 1830 and 1835.

As a child he was said to be of "normal" stature, but in entering his adolescence he began to grow rapidly and by his 20th year had attained 7 ft 4 in (223 cm), eventually reaching 7 ft 10 in (236 cm) within another year or two. His adult weight was 580 pounds, his shoulders 44 in. wide, and the palm of his hand 8 in. wide and 12 in. long. In 1863 he was wearing boots 19 in. long. He had deep-set blue eyes and a musical, if somewhat hollow voice. Despite his huge size he was reportedly perfectly proportioned.

He was known in his home community of St. Ann's as "Gille Mòr" (translated to "Big Boy"). He was also known to many as the "Cape Breton Giant" or simply "Giant MacAskill."

MacAskill was well known for incredible feats of strength such as lifting a ship's anchor weighing 2800 lb. to chest height, and an ability to carry barrels weighing over 300 lb. apiece under each arm or reputedly able to lift a hundredweight (50kg) with two fingers and hold it at arms length for ten minutes. People also claimed to see Angus lift a full-grown horse over a four-foot fence, without breaking a sweat.

In 1849, he 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. 

He would sometimes jog down the street with a 300-pound barrel of pork under each arm to the admiring whistles of bystanders. To win a bet with some French sailors he lifted an anchor weighing 2700 pounds to his shoulder and walked down the wharf with it.

Another time when MacAskill was approximately 14 years old he travelled on a fishing schooner from St. Ann's to North Sydney and the crew took him along to a dance. MacAskill reportedly went ashore without shoes and in old clothes and was sitting near the door watching because dancing was frowned upon by the strict Presbyterian elders of St. Ann's. One of the dancers was a young man from North Sydney who danced over with his dance partner and in the process, stepped on one of MacAskill's bare toes. Red-faced, MacAskill reportedly quickly pulled his feet out of the way, but bystanders laughed. MacAskill became absorbed in the dancing and unconsciously put his feet out again. The same dancer reportedly stepped on MacAskill's toe again. For a moment, it looked as if there would be a fight between MacAskill and the dancer from North Sydney (as well as the fishermen who had brought Angus along to the dance). Instead, MacAskill reportedly turned red and clenched his fists, but maintained his composure and remained seated while the bully laughed. For a third time, the dancer's heel came down on MacAskill's toe, whereby MacAskill jumped up and his fist struck his tormentor's jaw. That gentleman landed in the middle of the floor and was unconscious for so long the other dancers thought he was dead. When the captain returned to his schooner he found MacAskill on his knees praying that he had not killed the man.

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 his family moved him back to his parents' home. His original childhood bed was hastily lengthened and put up in their living room to provide for his care. The doctor's diagnosis was brain fever. After a week's illness, MacAskill died peacefully in his sleep on August 8, 1863, the Rev. Abraham McIntosh, the Presbyterian minister, being in attendance and many neighbour's in the house.

The Halifax "Acadian Recorder" of August 15, 1863 reported that "the well-known giant ... was by far the tallest man in Nova Scotia, perhaps in British America" and that "his mild and gentle manner endeared him to all who had the pleasure of his acquaintance". 

Local lore is that Giant MacAskill's footprint is imprinted in the sidewalk near 54 Pleasant Street.  This footprint has been in the sidewalk near downtown North Sydney for as long as anyone can remember.  How and when it came to be there, we're not sure, but we're willing to believe the tale.  We say it's up to someone else to prove it's not true!  Visit the location, place your foot in the imprint and imagine for a moment the size of the great giant that stood on the same spot!

Source:  Adapted from https://en-academic.com/dic.nsf/enwiki/1068816