The oldest living man in the world has reached the age of 112 – and revealed which British classic he eats every Friday.
John Tinniswood was born in Liverpool on August 26, 1912, the year the Titanic sank. In April he became the oldest living person in the world.
When asked about the secret of his longevity, Mr Tinniswood, who lives in a care home in Southport, said it was “just luck”.
“I can’t think of any special secrets I have,” he said.
“I was pretty active as a teenager and ran a lot. I don’t know if that had anything to do with it. But to me (to anyone else), I’m not different at all.”
“I just take it in my stride, like everything else. Why I’ve lived so long, I have no idea.”
Image: Guinness World Records
Mr Tinniswood added that, apart from a portion of breaded fish and chips every Friday, he follows no special diet.
At 112 years old, Mr Tinniswood has lived through both World Wars and holds the title of oldest living male veteran of World War II.
He worked in an administrative role for the Royal Army Pay Corps, where his work included logistical tasks such as locating stranded soldiers and organising food supplies, as well as accounting and auditing.
After leaving the army, he worked as an accountant for Shell and BP before retiring in 1972.
John Tinniswood as a young man. Image: Guinness World Records
He met his wife Blodwen at a dance in Liverpool and enjoyed a 44-year marriage before her death in 1986.
Their daughter Susan was born in 1943. Mr Tinniswood also has four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
He has been a lifelong Liverpool FC fan and has witnessed all eight of his club’s FA Cup victories and 17 of their 19 league titles.
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Asked what the biggest changes in the world have been over his lifetime, Mr Tinniswood said: “In my opinion it is no better or hardly better than it was then. In some places it probably is, but in other places it is worse.”
Since his 100th birthday in 2012, he has received a birthday card every year from the late Queen Elizabeth II – a tradition now incumbent on the King and Queen Camilla.
Mr Tinniwsood is four years away from the record held by the world’s oldest man, Japan’s Jiroemon Kimura, who lived to the age of 116 years and 54 days and died in 2013.
The oldest living woman and the oldest living person in the world is 116-year-old Japanese woman Tomiko Itooka.
