112-year-old Gisaburo Sonobe from Japan was initially expected to be the new record holder, but he was recently confirmed to have died on 31 March.
The Guinness World Records (GWR) has named a 111-year-old man, John Alfred Tinniswood from England as the world’s oldest living man.
The GWR said that Tinniswood became the world’s oldest living man after the death of 114-year-old Juan Vicente Pérez from Venezuela.
According to the Records, 112-year-old Gisaburo Sonobe from Japan was initially expected to be the new record holder, but he was recently confirmed to have died on 31 March.
Tinniswood, who was born in Liverpool on 26 August 1912 the same year the Titanic sank, marked exactly 111 years and 223 days on Friday 5 April, 2024.
The GWR said that John is a great-grandfather and currently resides at a care home in Southport, where staff describe him as “a big chatterbox”.
According to the Records, “After confirming him to be the oldest man alive, Guinness World Records Official, Adjudicator Megan Bruce, traveled to Southport to present John with his certificate and learn more about his long life.
“Despite his advanced age, John can still perform most daily tasks independently: he gets out of bed unassisted, listens to the radio to keep up with the news, and still manages his own finances.”
The GWR said that Tinniswood noted that the secret to his longevity is “pure luck”.
He said:l, “You either live long or you live short, and you can’t do much about it.”
Apart from eating a portion of battered fish and chips every Friday, Tinniswood said that he doesn’t follow any particular diet.
He said, “I eat what they give me and so does everybody else. I don’t have a special diet,” adding that he doesn’t smoke and rarely drinks alcohol.
His main advice for staying healthy is to practice moderation as he said that “If you drink too much or you eat too much or you walk too much; if you do too much of anything, you’re going to suffer eventually.”
The Records said that Tinniswood, a lifelong Liverpool FC fan, was born just 20 years after the club was founded in 1892. He has lived through all eight of his club’s FA Cup wins and 17 of their 19 league title wins.
Tinniswood has also lived through both World Wars; he was 27 when the second one broke out, and despite having eyesight issues, he found purpose by working in an administrative role for the Army Pay Corps.
In addition to accounts and auditing, his work involved logistical tasks such as locating stranded soldiers and organizing food supplies. As such, Tinniswood is the world’s oldest surviving male World War II veteran.
After the war, Tinniswood worked in accounts for Shell and BP up until his retirement in 1972.
When asked how the world around him has changed throughout his life, Tinniswood was quoted as saying that “The world, in its way, is always changing. It’s a sort of ongoing experience. […] It’s getting a little better but not all that much yet. It’s going the right way.”
Tinniswood met his wife, Blodwen, at a dance in Liverpool. One of his fondest memories is of their wedding in 1942, a year before having their daughter, Susan. The couple enjoyed 44 years together before Blodwen passed away in 1986.
Tinniswood now has four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Since turning 100 in 2012, Tinniswood received a birthday card each year from the late Queen Elizabeth, who was Tinniswood’s junior by almost 14 years.
Having become the UK’s oldest man in 2020, Tinniswood is unfazed by his new-found status as the oldest in the entire world.
He said, “Doesn’t make any difference to me,” adding, “Not at all. I accept it for what it is.”
His advice for younger generations is, “Always do the best you can, whether you’re learning something or whether you’re teaching someone.
“Give it all you’ve got. Otherwise it’s not worth bothering with.”
The GWR further revealed that the oldest man ever was Jiroemon Kimura (1897–2013) from Japan, who lived to the age of 116 years 54 days.
While the world’s oldest living woman and oldest living person overall is Spain’s Maria Branyas Morera, who recently celebrated her 117th birthday.
Credit: Sahara Reporters
