A 111-year-old great-grandfather has officially been crowned the world’s oldest man – as he credits a curious mind and fish and chips for his extraordinary longevity.
John Alfred Tinniswood was paid a ‘surprise visit’ by Guinness World Records at the Hollies Rest Home in Southport, Merseyside, on Thursday.
Mr Tinniswood, described as a ‘well mannered, lovely gentleman’, was born on August 16, 1912 – four months after the Titanic sank – and he has lived through two world wars.
He was officially declared the world’s oldest living man at 111 years and 222 days after Juan Vicente Perez, from Venezuela, died aged 114 this week. 112-year-old Gisaburo Sonobe, from Japan, was expected to become the new record holder but he sadly passed away on March 31.
Mr Tinniswood was 55 when US astronauts Neil Armstrong landed on the moon in 1969.
When the United States dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima in August 1945, he was aged just 23. And when the Berlin Wall fell in November 1989, he was already 77.
John Alfred Tinniswood was paid a ‘surprise visit’ by Guinness World Records at the Hollies Rest Home in Southport, Merseyside, on Thursday
After the war, John worked in accounts for Shell and BP up until his retirement in 1972
Speaking about his 111 years on the planet, he told Guinness World Records: ‘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.’
He added: ‘You either live long or you live short, and you can’t do much about it.’ John doesn’t believe it’s down to any specific lifestyle choices: ‘I eat what they give me and so does everybody else. I don’t have a special diet.’
On finding out he was the oldest man in the world he said: ‘Doesn’t make any difference to me. Not at all. I accept it for what it is.’
When asked for his advice for younger generations, he replied: ‘Let them make their own way in the world […] we’re all different in different ways.’
His daughter, Susan Behrmann, 79, a retired maths teacher, told the Mail today that it was ‘amazing’ her father had become the world’s oldest man.
She said she believed he owed his longevity to living an active and healthy lifestyle.
He also ‘really loves life, it keeps him going,’ the retired maths teacher, of Battersea, south London, added.
‘He has always been very, very active,’ Mrs Behrmann said.
‘After my mum died, he lived at home until he was 99 when he had a fall and broke his hip. But before that he was still walking and driving, he would go into Southport twice a week and go for a coffee, or to Marks and Spencer for a wander round.
‘He has always been very slim and he and my mother were into rambling. We used to have a cottage near Bala in North Wales that we went to on holiday and there was always a lot of walking and hiking in the hills and mountains.
‘He has never smoked and rarely drank alcohol, save for on a special family occasion. When I was growing up there was never any ready meals either, so he hasn’t ever eaten much processed food, although it is right he does like the occasional fish supper.
‘It is an incredible achievement. It just shows if you don’t drink and smoke and look after yourself that you can go on to reach that age.’
She added: ‘Both my parents were intellectuals and quite serious, they would do the crossword every day,’ Mrs Behrmann said.
‘On his 11th birthday last August I had the newspaper with me and was reading out clues to the quick crossword and he knew quite a few of them.’
The Hollies, the care home in Southport where he has lived for the past 12 years, bought a cake for his birthday celebrations, and relatives arranged for the long time Liverpool FC supporter to get a visit from Reds’ and England legend Alan Kennedy.
‘My dad knew exactly who he was and they chatted for ages and reminisced about Liverpool,’ Mrs Behrmann said.
‘His long term memory is also still fantastic, he also spoke about his memories of WWI on his birthday. He said he remembered the troops marching though the streets of Liverpool at the end of the war in 1918.’
Mr Tinniswood – who does not smoke or drink alcohol – has previously revealed that he loves tucking into a chippy dinner every Friday.
He said: ‘Fish and chips have got to be my favourite dish, it’s always been such a treat, and I think looking forward to my next visit to the chippy has kept me young. I feel the same now as I did when I was in my 80s, nothing has changed really.’
Mr Tinniswood’s care home confirmed the record in a Facebook post and Guinness delivered a framed certificate to him
The Hollies said: ‘Today we had a surprise visit from the World Guinness Records, as we have the world’s oldest living man here at The Hollies.. The legend we call John!
‘What an absolute honour it is to have such a well mannered, lovely gentleman with us, we are all so proud. Congratulations John.’
The lifelong Liverpool fan was given an administrative role with the Royal Mail during the Second World War because he had problems with his eyesight.
This is where he met his wife, Blodwen, at a dance in Liverpool before they tied the knot in 1942. Marrying Blowden is one of his fondest memories.
The couple welcomed their only child, Susan, in 1943, before spending 44 happy years together until Blowden’s death in 1986.
He now has four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Before retiring in 1972, he also used to work as a depot clerk and accountant for Shell-Mex and BP, and is now a great-grandfather.
After turning 100 in 2012, he received a birthday card each year from the late Queen Elizabeth – who he even met twice.
The retired accountant was also given a birthday card from King Charles and Queen Camilla last year.
He said keeping active and constantly learning has also helped to keep his mind sharp.
John credits keeping active and constantly learning – as well as fish and chips – with helping to keep his mind sharp.
Mr Tinniswood, who was born in Liverpool, now has four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren
Mr Tinniswood was 56 when US astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first men to land on the moon in July 1969
Mr Tinniswood was born just four months after the Titanic sank on its maiden voyage
Mr Tinniswood was 23 when the US dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima
When the Berlin Wall fell in November 1989, Mr Tinnswood was already 77
He said: ‘Keeping active is very important, I’ve always loved football but when I was younger I was part of the Liverpool Ramblers Association which went hiking all over the country.
‘We used to meet up at least once a month, and when all the associations from all over the UK met up once a year we could fill an entire train. The Rambler’s Associations don’t really exist anymore and I haven’t been hiking for quite some years but I largely carry on here as I would if I was still living independently.’
Speaking about Mr Tinniswood in 2021, Katie Howard, who worked at Hollies Rest Home, said: ‘John is such a gentleman; he’s a humble person, mild-mannered and calm with a good sense of humour. He’s so young at heart.
‘He’s still got great, long-term memory and loves to chat as well as listening to the news on the radio and reading the newspapers.’
Mr Tinniwsood was born just 20 years after his beloved Liverpool FC was founded in 1892. He has lived through all eight of the club’s FA Cup triumphs and 17 of their 19 title wins.
The world’s oldest man ever was Jiroemon Kimura, from Japan, who died aged 116 years, 54 days in 2013
The world’s oldest living woman – and the oldest living person – is Maria Branyas Morera, who recently turned 117
The world’s oldest man ever was Jiroemon Kimura, from Japan, who died aged 116 years, 54 days in 2013
He has 27 when the Second World War broke out but due to having eyesight issues, he took up an administrative role for the Army Pay Corps. As well as working in accounts and auditing, he was also involved in locating stranded soldiers and organising food supplies.
Mr Tinniswood became the oldest living man in the UK following on September 25 2020, following the death of 108-year-old Harry Fransman.
But he is now the new oldest man in the world following the passing of 114-year-old Juan Vincente Mora on April 2.
The world’s oldest man ever was Jiroemon Kimura, from Japan, who died aged 116 years, 54 days in 2013.
The world’s oldest living woman – and the oldest living person – is Maria Branyas Morera, who recently turned 117.
The certified oldest person ever was French woman Jeanne Calment, who died aged 122 and 164 days in 1997.
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