John Tinniswood, Guinness Book record holder for the oldest man in the world, died on Monday, November 25, in Southport, England. Born in 1912, the year the famous Titanic sank, he had held the record for less than a year.
Humanity loses its dean. In a press release, Guinness World Records announced this Tuesday, November 26, the death of John Tinniswood, aged 112. The Briton died in a retirement home in Southport, England, where he lived.
“His last days were rocked by music and love,” said the organization which lists the records. “John always loved to say thank you, so on his behalf we thank everyone who looked after him over the years.”
John Tiniswood, born August 26, 1912, the year the famous Titanic sank, was not the holder of this record for long. It was in April 2024, when he was 111 years old, that he succeeded Juan Vicente Perez, originally from Venezuela, who died at the unusual age of 114 years.
John Tinniswood leaves behind a daughter, four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. This Liverpool Reds supporter did not follow any particular diet, apart from a portion of “fish and chips” every Friday, “like all the other” residents of his retirement home.
During the Second World War, he held a position as an accountant in the British armed forces, then worked for the oil giants Shell and BP.
A life of moderation
John Tinniswood gave advice on achieving such exceptional longevity. The key word: moderation. “If you drink too much (alcohol), if you eat too much or walk too much; if you do too much of anything, you’re going to suffer,” he said.
But Guinness also writes: “Ever modest, John said there was no secret behind his record longevity, describing it as ‘pure luck’.”
Between the ages of 100 and 110, John received a card every year on his birthday from Queen Elizabeth II, who was only 14 years younger than his senior. A tradition interrupted by the death of the sovereign.
The deceased, however, was neither the oldest man to have ever lived in the United Kingdom nor the oldest in the world. This record is held by the Japanese Jiroemon Kimura (1897-2013), who lived to the age of 116. The current oldest man in the world after the death of John Tiniswood has not yet been mentioned by Guinness.
The oldest woman in the world is currently, according to Guinness World Records, the Japanese Tomiko Itooka, 116 years old.
