Aged 111, Briton is oldest man in the world
‘I’m proud of what he has achieved’
A BRITON has become the world’s oldest man after the previous record holder died – but said he couldn’t celebrate someone else’s demise.
Bob Weighton, 111, was taken aback when he heard he had gained the title after Chitetsu Watanabe, from Japan, passed away at 112.
But he said yesterday that it would not be appropriate to celebrate a death and simply vowed to carry on. He said: ‘My grandson Magnus told me in the car. I remember saying: “Oh goodness me, fancy this, little Robert Weighton. It’s unbelievable.”.’
Mr Weighton, who lives independently in Alton, Hampshire, was born on March 29, 1908.
He has lived through the reign of five monarchs, seen 26 prime ministers come and go from 10 Downing Street and remembers the outbreak of the First World War.
He added: ‘I never imagined being this old. To be honest I never even thought about getting old.
‘I’m sorry someone has had to die for me to get this title. I’m not celebrating anything.’
His grandson, Magnus Weighton, 48, said: ‘I’m much more proud of Bob and what he has achieved in his life rather than his age.’ The centenarian was born in Hull and has three children, ten grandchildren and 25 great-grandchildren.
He trained in marine engineering but when he qualified in 1925, the shipping industry was in decline so he moved to Taiwan where he worked as a teacher and met his future wife Agnes.
By 1939, he was due to go home but the Second World War broke out as he and his family crossed the Pacific. Their ship was diverted to Canada and they later moved to the US.
After the war, the family returned to England and he worked as a lecturer in marine engineering at City, University of London for 25 years until he retired.
He and his wife, who died in 1995, spent much of their retirement volunteering as marriage councillors and helping at youth groups.
Mr Weighton had previously shared the title of Britain’s oldest man with Alfred Smith, of Perthshire, as the pair were born on the same day. But Mr Smith died last summer.
The oldest known living woman is Kane Tanaka of Japan, who is 117.