This is an archive article published on November 27, 2024

UK’s John Tinniswood, world’s oldest man, dies at 112

Living through monumental events such as the sinking of the Titanic and both World Wars, Tinniswood attributed his remarkable longevity to “pure luck."

World's oldest living man, 111-year-old Briton John TinniswoodWorld's oldest living man, 111-year-old Briton John Tinniswood (Photo: Reuters)
2 min readNov 27, 2024 12:44 AM IST First published on: Nov 27, 2024 at 12:06 AM IST

The world’s oldest man, Briton John Tinniswood, passed away at the age of 112 in a care home in Southport, northwest England, his family confirmed via Guinness World Records on Tuesday.

Born in Liverpool on 26 August 1912, Tinniswood died peacefully on Monday.

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He became the world’s oldest man in April 2023 following the death of Venezuelan Juan Vicente Perez, who was 114 years old.

“His last day was surrounded by music and love,” his family said in a statement, expressing gratitude to all those who cared for him over the years.

Having lived through monumental events such as the sinking of the Titanic and both World Wars, Tinniswood attributed his remarkable longevity to “pure luck.” Speaking to Guinness World Records, he had remarked, “You either live long or you live short, and you can’t do much about it.” However, he had advised moderation in all aspects of life to maintain health. “If you drink too much, eat too much, or even walk too much, you’ll eventually suffer,” he said.

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During the Second World War, Tinniswood served in the Royal Army Pay Corps in an administrative role. Later, he pursued a career in accounting, working for oil companies Shell and BP.

A devoted Liverpool Football Club supporter, Tinniswood upheld a tradition of eating fish and chips every Friday, a habit he cherished throughout his life.

Presently, the world’s oldest living person is Tomiko Itooka of Japan, aged 116.

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