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England's oldest man has died peacefully in Bolton aged 109.
Arthur Aspinall, who lived through the reigns of four British monarchs and 24 prime ministers, was recognised as the last surviving British male born in 1916.
At the time of his death, he was the second-oldest man in the United Kingdom behind Scotland’s Hugh Kerr, who was born in Paisley on October 9 1915.
Mr Aspinall passed away yesterday at the age of 109 years and 231 days.
It came just 19 years after his retirement from his family's manufacturing firm which he left at the age of 90.
His loss follows the death of Europe's oldest man Ilie Ciocan in Romania last Wednesday - one day before his 113th birthday.
It also comes less than two months after Britain's oldest World War Two veteran passed away aged 109.
Family posts described Mr Aspinall as a man whose steady character and work ethic shaped generations.
Arthur Aspinall (pictured), who lived through the reigns of four UK monarchs and 24 prime ministers, was recognised as the last surviving British male born in 1916
Born on October 13 1916 to parents Fred and Lily Aspinall, he grew up in a lower middle-class family
LongeviQuest, which validated Mr Aspinall’s age in February this year, expressed sadness at the news and offered condolences to the family.
Born on October 13 1916 to parents Fred and Lily Aspinall, Mr Aspinall grew up in a lower middle-class family.
His father ran a forging business manufacturing bolts and fasteners in Bolton.
Mr Aspinall joined the firm at 14, learning every aspect of operations, and was promoted to foreman by 16.
He dedicated his working life to the family company, only retiring in 2006.
In 1944 he married Constance Nellie Cheadle and they had two children - Heather, born in 1945, and Marcus, born in 1952.
Ms Cheadle died in November 1963 at just 45.
Heather predeceased her father, passing away on October 12 2025 at 79.
In April, tributes poured in for a sailor believed to be Britain's oldest World War Two veteran, Frank Chester (pictured) - following his death aged 109
Mr Aspinall is survived by son Marcus, eight grandchildren and further descendants.
His grandson David Aspinall, co-founder of design company Chase and Wonder, publicly shared warm tributes highlighting his grandfather’s formative influence.
Mr Aspinall’s long life spanned more than a century of British history, from the tail end of the First World War through to the present day.
His quiet dedication to family and business left a lasting legacy in Bolton and beyond.
Funeral arrangements are expected to be announced by his family in the coming days.
Meanwhile, Europe’s oldest man Ilie Ciocan passed away in Romania last Wednesday.
Born on June 10 1913, in the village of Cremenari in Romania, Mr Ciocan attributed his longevity to moderation, stating he was a non-smoker who only drank occasionally.
Following the death of Briton John Tinniswood on November 25 2024, Mr Ciocan became Europe’s oldest living man.
On January 16 2025, he surpassed the previous Romanian longevity record held by Dumitru Comănescu (111 years, 219 days), becoming the oldest validated person ever from Romania.
At the time of his death, he was the world’s second-oldest living man after Brazil’s João Marinho Neto and the oldest known World War II veteran.
In April, tributes poured in for a sailor believed to be Britain's oldest World War Two veteran following his death aged 109.
Frank Chester, who was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for wartime bravery, passed away on April 19 at a Malvern care home nine days after celebrating his birthday.
His family said he was the oldest man in Worcestershire, while the Royal British Legion confirmed he could have been the country's oldest surviving veteran.
Born in Ludlow, Shropshire, in 1917, Mr Chester was called up to serve his country in the Second World War while working for HM Customs and Excise.
After being offered the choice of being in the Navy or the Army, he helped escort Arctic convoys to and from Russia on a corvette ship as part of a mission described as one of the 'most dangerous' of the conflict.
His daughter Ruth Pole revealed that Mr Chester actually suffered from seasickness despite his deployment as a sailor.
'Unfortunately for him, he discovered once he went to sea that he was seasick,' she told the BBC. 'But with his typical stoicism he stuck at it.'
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