In The Crapper...

From the Victorian times sprouted the legend known as Thomas Crapper.  Lore has it that he was an ingenious plumber who invented the flush toilet.  Lore didn’t quite get that right.  While Thomas Crapper was a real man who lived in 19^th century London and owned a plumbing company, he didn’t actually invent the toilet, per se.

A Victorian toilet from www.itraveluk.co.uk

Thomas Crapper was known as a savvy salesman and great at advertising.  So, using a gentleman named Albert Giblin’s design, Crapper built and mass marketed flush toilets.  He also popularized the siphon system for emptying the tank.  Finally, Thomas Crapper slapped his name on anything and everything he was associated with; manhole covers, toilets, bathrooms – you name it. 

Speaking of naming it, some people claim the term “crapper” (in reference to a bathroom), came from U.S. Soldiers who were deployed in the U.K. during the first World War.  According to lore, these soldiers saw the word “Crapper” on every door to every bathroom across London and began calling the room the “Crapper.”

Despite the legend of Mr. Crapper, Alexander Cummings is the one who’s usually credited with inventing the first flush mechanism back in 1775.  In 1853, Joseph Adamson took out the first patent for the siphonic flush – eight years prior to Crapper starting his plumbing business.

No matter who invented it, or what you call it, be it “The Crapper,”  “The Cummings” or maybe even “The Gilbin”... when it breaks, it stinks (sometimes literally).

That’s why for all your plumbing issues, there’s BRISTOL Restoration!  And hey, if you call us?  You may even get an interesting history lesson about the work we’re doing!