World's oldest man dies aged 112

The world's oldest living man has died at the age of 112, his family have confirmed.

John Alfred Tinniswood died on Monday at the Southport care home where he lived.

The lifelong Liverpool football fan became the world’s oldest living man in April this year, when Juan Vicente Pérez Mora died at the age of 114.

His family said Mr Tinniswood's final day was "surrounded by music and love".

Mr Tinniswood, who was born on 26 August 1912, the same year the Titanic sank, became the UK’s oldest man in 2020.

He was recognised by the Guinness Book of Records as the world’s oldest man in April 2024.

Born to Ada and John Bernard Tinniswood, Mr Tinniswood, a widower, leaves behind a daughter, Susan, grandchildren Annouchka, Marisa, Toby and Rupert, and great-grandchildren Tabitha, Callum and Nieve.

In a statement, his family said he "had many fine qualities".

"He was intelligent, decisive, brave, calm in any crisis, talented at maths, and a great conversationalist."

They added, these qualities served him well during his military service in the Royal Army Pays Corps during World War Two, where - in addition to accounts and auditing - his work involved logistical tasks, such as locating stranded soldiers and organising food supplies.
He met his wife, Blodwen, at a dance in Liverpool, and they married in 1942.

Susan was born in 1943, and the couple enjoyed 44 years together before Mrs Tinniswood died in 1986.

After World War Two, he worked for Royal Mail and, later, as an accountant for Shell and BP, before retiring in 1972.

His family said he had an " active retirement", volunteering as a church elder in Blundellsands United Reform Church where he also gave sermons.

Mr Tinniswood previously told the BBC he been "quite active as a youngster" and did "a lot of walking", but said he had no idea why he was blessed with such longevity. He insisted he was "no different" to anyone else, adding: "You either live long or you live short - and you can’t do much about it."

His beloved Liverpool Football Club was founded just 20 years before he was born, and he lived through all but two of the Reds' 66 top flight trophies - having missed the first two league titles in 1901 and 1906.

He moved to the Hollies Rest care home in Southport just before his 100th birthday, where his kindness and enthusiasm for life were an inspiration to the care home staff and his fellow residents, his family said.

Since turning 100 in 2012, he had received an annual birthday card from the monarch - first from the late Queen Elizabeth II, who was his junior by almost 14 years, and, more recently, from King Charles III.

The family added: "We would like to thank the many people in the UK and across the world who sent well wishes to John on his recent birthdays.

"He really appreciated these birthday greetings and other messages of support."

"John always liked to say thank you. So on his behalf , [we] thank all those who cared for him over the years, including his carers at the Hollies care home, his GPs, district nurses, occupational therapist and other NHS staff."

The family have requested any donations in his memory be made to Age UK, or to a charity of their own choice.

The oldest living man on record was Jiroemon Kimura, from Japan, who lived to the age of 116 years and 54 days. He died in 2013.

The world's oldest living woman, and oldest living person, is Japan's Tomiko Itooka, who is currently 116.

credit: BBC