John Tinniswood held the record for the oldest man in the world in the Guinness Book for less than a year. He died on Monday, aged 112, in his retirement home in Southport, England.
Born in 1912, the dean of humanity, according to the Guinness World Records press release, spent his last days “crammed with music and love”. And added: “John always liked to say thank you. On his behalf, we therefore thank everyone who looked after him over the years.”
John Tiniswood succeeded in April 2024 Juan Vicente Perez, originally from Venezuela, who died at the unusual age of 114.
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 held a position as an accountant in the British armed forces, then worked for the oil giants Shell and BP.
According to John Tinniswood, the secret of this longevity lay in one key word: moderation. “If you drink too much alcohol, eat too much, or walk too much; if you do too much of anything, you will suffer,” he confided, even though he admitted to having been “purely lucky.”
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 oldest woman in the world is currently, according to Guinness World Records, the Japanese Tomiko Itooka, 116 years old. In France, the oldest would be Maurice Le Coutour, a resident of Barfleur (Manche), aged 109
