The world’s oldest man died at the age of 112

John Alfred Tinniswood poses for a photo on April 4, 2024. The world’s oldest man died in England at the age of 112. The family of John Alfred Tinniswood announced that he died on Monday, November 25, 2024, in the nursing home near Liverpool where he was born in 1912. (AP)

LONDON, Nov 27 (AP): For almost nine months, John Alfred Tinniswood held the title of the world’s oldest man, celebrating his 112th birthday in the process.

His status as a record holder ended on Monday when Tinniswood died in a nursing home in northwest England near Liverpool, where he was born on Aug. 26, 1912, his family said in a statement.

Tinniswood attributed his longevity to “pure luck”.

“You either live a long life or you live a short life and there’s not much you can do about it,” the retired accountant and great-grandfather told the Guinness Book of Records when he won the title in April.

But if there was any secret to it, he said moderation was the key to a healthy life. He never smoked, rarely drank and had no special diet other than eating fish and chips every Friday.

“If you drink too much, eat too much or walk too much – if you do too much of anything – eventually you will suffer,” Tinniswood said.

Tinniswood was born a few months after the sinking of the Titanic. He survived two world wars and during World War II served in the British Army Pay Corps.

Tinniswood was 111 years old when he set the record this spring following the death of Juan Vicente Pérez of Venezuela, who was 114 years old.

The Guinness Book of Records did not say who would replace Tinniswood as the new record holder.

He is survived by his daughter Susan, four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. His wife of 44 years, Blodwen, died in 1986.

When Tinniswood turned 112 in August, he said he was taking it in stride – like everything else he did.

“I don’t feel like it’s age, I don’t get excited about it,” he said. “That’s probably why I came to this.”

The oldest living woman and the oldest living person in the world is 116-year-old Japanese Tomiko Itooka.