THOMAS LAUGHER, Aged 109 Years.

Thomas Laugher, supposed to be the oldest man now living in England, was baptized on the 6th of January (old style), in the year 1700, at Markly, Worcestershire: he now resides (June the 20th, 1809,) at the Park coffee-house, Worcester-street, Southwark. Consequently he is upwards of 109 years of age: his father died at the age of 97, his mother at 108, and his son at 80.

When King William and Queen Mary died, he was a little boy: he very well remembers Queen Anne going to the House of Peers, 1705, on horseback, seated on a pillion, behind the Lord Chancellor. He says he was formerly a wholesale wine and brandy merchant in Tower-street, and that he lost, by the failure of the house of Neele, Fordyce and James, Bartholomew-lane, the sum of £198,000; and that the sudden loss of his property took such an effect upon him, that it struck him blind, and speechless, and caused quantities of skin to come from off his body. He was educated at Christ's College, Oxford; and, after a residence of eleven years and a half at that place, he took a tour on the continent of Europe, and visited many parts of Turkey, in which he resided upwards of seven years.

He never drank strong beer, small beer, wine, or spirits, until he was above 53 years of age. His principal sustenance was tea, coffee, bread and spring water. He never ate any animal food whatever, nor butter, nor cheese. He recollects the quartern loaf at 2¼d., primest meat at 1d. per pound, and the best fresh butter at 2¼d. per pound.

His grandmother died 141 years old, and she lived upon dry bread and cold pump water. This astonishing man, whose looks are truly venerable, is, to all appearance, strong and hearty, and seems likely to live many more years; and, for a man of his great age, can walk about extremely well. He rises mostly at 4 o'clock in the morning, takes a long walk before breakfast, and eats and drinks very sparingly, though he now lives upon animal food and beer, and but rarely, if ever, drinks any spirits, except for their proper use.

[Since the foregoing account was written, he has departed this life, in the year 1812.]