Buster Martin

Buster Martin
Born(1906-09-01)1 September 1906 (or 1913; disputed)
Basque Country, France
Died12 April 2011 (104 or 97)
London, England, UK
Occupation(s)Van cleaner
columnist (FHM)
Known forClaimed oldest employee in the United Kingdom

Pierre Jean "Buster" Martin (1 September 1906/1913 – 12 April 2011) claimed to be the United Kingdom's oldest employee, stating that he was born in 1906.[1] Until his death, he worked for Pimlico Plumbers, a plumbing company in southeast London, as a van cleaner, and refused to take a day off on the day he celebrated what he claimed was his 100th birthday.[2] He also received coverage in the media for reportedly fending off an attack from a group of youths in 2007;[dubious – discuss][3] he was cited by the former Liberal Democrat leader Sir Menzies Campbell as "living proof of why people should not be written off once they pass retirement age". Martin stated that he would not retire from working.[4][5]

Doubts have been raised about all of Martin's historical claims, including his age, which may have in truth been 97 at the time of his death, as well as his purported marriage and family.[6][7]

  1. ^ "100-year-old [sic] Buster at the head of Pimlico's float for the Lord Mayor's show". Lord Mayor's Show. 27 October 2006. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 4 March 2007.
  2. ^ "100-year-old told 'take day off'". BBC News. 1 September 2006. Retrieved 3 March 2007.
  3. ^ "Karate kick Buster, 100, floors gang". Metro. 8 February 2007. Archived from the original on 29 September 2007. Retrieved 3 March 2007.
  4. ^ Martin, Nicole (3 March 2007). "I'll work till I drop, says 'Mr Centenarian'". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 14 November 2007. Retrieved 3 March 2007.
  5. ^ Kirby, Terry (3 March 2007). "The centenarian hailed by Ming for seeing off muggers". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 5 March 2007. Retrieved 3 March 2007.
  6. ^ "The Times & The Sunday Times".
  7. ^ "How do record holders prove their age?". BBC News. 14 April 2008.