Posted by: @mrcatlord

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It’s a very common name

Our world doyenne and doyen are basically named “John” and “Mary”

It's still a notable coincidence for so many people in the British male top 10 to have the same name, even if it was the most common one at the time. I don't know what the statistics were for the United Kingdom, but it seems like around 5% of men born in the 1910s in the United States had the name John, according to this page, which is only a small fraction of the population. 

Posted by: @mendocino

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Posted by: @mrcatlord

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It’s a very common name

Our world doyenne and doyen are basically named “John” and “Mary”

It's still a notable coincidence for so many people in the British male top 10 to have the same name, even if it was the most common one at the time. I don't know what the statistics were for the United Kingdom, but it seems like around 5% of men born in the 1910s in the United States had the name John, according to this page, which is only a small fraction of the population. 

 

And the UK has had two cases of SCs with the same first and last name: Grace Jones and Mary Walker. Three of those people had the title of oldest person in Britain and Mary Florence Walker might get it in the future 

Donald Rose was visited by civic dignitaries this Armistice Day ( https://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/news/local-news/108-year-old-ilkeston-man-8899484):

It's great to see him looking well. The article mistakenly says he is the oldest living WWII veteran in the UK - however Ailsa Stewart is a few days older and was a second officer in the Wrens (the Women's Royal Naval Service)

The care homes that both Herbert Druce and William Staples reside at are appealing for people to send them cards for their upcoming 109th and 108th birthdays, respectively:

I’d struggle to get a card to that part of the world Robbie, but if you want some messages, let me know and I’ll send something via PM or similar

Herbert Druce turned 109 yesterday! (source)

Top 10 Oldest Living Men in the UK (as of 8th January 2024)
Today's update (Mr. Rose

and Mr. Druce turned 109; Mr. Staples turned 108)

1. John Alfred Tinniswood (Southport, Merseyside, ENG) (b. 26 August 1912), 111 y.o. Doyen of the UK
2. John Farringdon (Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, ENG) (b. 7 June 1913), 110 y.o.
3. Norman Leslie Spencer (London, ENG) (b. 13 August 1914), 109 y.o.
4. Donald Rose (Ilkeston, Derbyshire, ENG) (b. 24 December 1914), 109 y.o.
5. Herbert Ephraim Druce (Penn, Buckinghamshire, ENG) (b. 6 January 1915), 109 y.o.
6. Hugh Anonymous (Renfrewshire, SCO) (b. 9 October 1915), 108 y.o. 
7. William Staples (Chorley, Lancashire, ENG) (b. 11 December 1915), 108 y.o.
8. Francis Eric Moore (Havant, Hampshire, ENG) (b. 11 March 1916), 107 y.o.
9. John Anonymous (Gillingham, Dorset, ENG) (b. August 1916), 107 y.o.
10. Arthur John Woodfield (Wokingham, Berkshire, ENG) (b. 11 September 1916), 107 y.o.

Posted by: @ale76

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9. John Anonymous (Gillingham, Dorset, ENG) (b. August 1916), 107 y.o.

I've finally been able to confirm this man's identity - he was born on 27 August 1916. 

The birthdays of Francis Moore and John Woodfield have also been confirmed explicitly - and implicitly for Hugh and Norman Spencer. 

@robbie Implicitly?

Posted by: @rutzqwezex

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@robbie Implicitly?

The death indexes for both England and Scotland have been checked up until and after their birthdays and they aren't listed, which implies they were likely still alive at that point. Of course, there are always exceptions. A 107-year-old woman who died in 2021 didn't have her death registered until 2023 (usually this happens if an autopsy/investigation into the cause of death is deemed necessary, which is unusual for centenarians). 

Francis Moore celebrates his 108th birthday today (source)

Top 10 Oldest Living Men in the UK (as of 11th March 2024)
Today's update (Mr. Moore turned 108)

1. John Alfred Tinniswood (Southport, Merseyside, ENG) (b. 26 August 1912), 111 y.o. Doyen of the UK
2. John Farringdon (Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, ENG) (b. 7 June 1913), 110 y.o.
3. Norman Leslie Spencer (London, ENG) (b. 13 August 1914), 109 y.o.
4. Donald Rose (Ilkeston, Derbyshire, ENG) (b. 24 December 1914), 109 y.o.
5. Herbert Ephraim Druce (Penn, Buckinghamshire, ENG) (b. 6 January 1915), 109 y.o.
6. Hugh Anonymous (Renfrewshire, SCO) (b. 9 October 1915), 108 y.o. 
7. William Staples (Chorley, Lancashire, ENG) (b. 11 December 1915), 108 y.o.
8. Francis Eric Moore (Havant, Hampshire, ENG) (b. 11 March 1916), 108 y.o.
9. John Anonymous (Gillingham, Dorset, ENG) (b. August 1916), 107 y.o.
10. Arthur John Woodfield (Wokingham, Berkshire, ENG) (b. 11 September 1916), 107 y.o.

John Tinniswood is briefly featured at the beginning of this video from 3 March.

Richard Brown - of Slough, Berkshire - turned 107 on Monday. We previously had him listed as anonymous.

source

And a man who sadly just missed 107 - William Mason (4 Apr 1917 – 14 Mar 2024) of Ashington, Northumberland (source). The post lists his age as 107 but this is a mistake. He was not previously known about. 

It feels so strange knowing that this list now contains the oldest verified man on Earth.

Posted by: @mrcatlord

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It’s a very common name

Our world doyenne and doyen are basically named “John” and “Mary”

This is even more true now

The UK is doing quite well right now, with the #1 male and #5 female

A few updates and new photos (New photos of John Tinniswood, the GWR announcement etc have already been posted elsewhere so I'm not including them here):

John Farringdon (undated, but probably from this month; source):

Donald Rose in March (source):

Herbert Druce in February (source):

Frank Chester in March (source). He turned 107 on Wednesday:

https://twitter.com/StAandASmalvern/status/1778009744260596083