Henry Allingham's Biography
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In June 2009 Guinness World Records confirmed that Henry Allingham was the world's oldest man following the death of Tomoji Tanabe in southern Japan, aged 113.
- However, Henry Allingham died on 18 July 2009 at the St Dunstan's care home in Ovingdean, East Sussex.
- Henry Allingham had already become Britain's oldest ever man a couple of months earlier when he reached 112 years and 296 days, overtaking Welshman John Evans's record.
- Henry Allingham was born on 6 June 1896 in Clapton, London. His father died from tuberculosis when Henry was just 18 months old. His mother died in 1915 at the age of 42.
- Henry Allingham was the last surviving founder member of the Royal Air Force (RAF). He had been a mechanic in the Royal Navy Air Service in September 1915, which merged with the Royal Flying Corps in April 1918 and so began his service in the RAF.
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- At the time of his taking the record of the world's oldest man, Henry Allingham had five grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, 14 great-great grandchildren and one great-great-great grandchild. His daughters, Jean and Betty, had predeceased him, as had his wife Dorothy.
- When not engaged in the world wars, much of Allingham's working life was spent in the motor industry, including a stint in the design department at Ford before retiring to live in Eastbourne in 1961.
- Recommended sources of information on Henry Allingham: Daily Mail profile of Henry Allingham, Daily Telegraph article on Henry Allingham, BBC: UK man is world's oldest at 113.
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