History of the Toilet

The toilet: an under-appreciated invention

Despite the fact that it is used daily, the invention of the toilet is something that most people don't think a lot about. Like other great inventions, the history of the toilet is one that involves many different people.

 
Who invented the toilet?

There really is no clear answer to this question. Many different people in different time eras are credited for helping develop the toilet that we know today. Here are just few names that are commonly associated with the invention and development of the toilet.

Thomas Crapper: This English sanitary engineer who lived in the 19th Century often receives credit for the invention of the toilet because of his work on a valve and siphon arrangement. Crapper's invention made the toilet that we know today possible.

Alexander Cumming: Cumming receives credit for the invention of the toilet because of a flushing device he patented in 1775 that is essential to the modern toilet.

Sir John Harrington: After he published a pamphlet in the 16th Century that contained instructions on constructing a valve closet, Harrington also has been cited for the development of the toilet.

George Jennings: An award-winning sanitary engineer, Jennings invented plumbing devices in the 18th Century that were considered groundbreaking for the development of the toilet. His innovative mechanisms enabled him to develop Monkey Closets, which were private cubicles that contained a flushing toilet.

Despite all of these individuals' contributions to the invention of the toilet most people will credit Jennings for the invention of the flushing toilet. Before developing Monkey Closets, Harrington built a flushing toilet, using a valve that released water when pulled.

Perfecting the toilet

Over the years many improvements have been made to the toilet. Whether it's developments in plumbing or aesthetic enhancements, the combination of these improvements make the removal of waste something we don't have to think much about on a daily basis.  While some of the advancements in the world of toilets may seem insignificant think about how different your life would be without them.

Toilet paper is a great example. Many improvements have been made to toilet paper since it first came on the scene in 1391. Before toilet paper, wool, sponges, lace, hemp, hayballs, rags, and even coconut shells were used depending on where you lived and how wealthy you were. Today toilet paper is made to be not only strong and absorbent, but also soft. 
 
 

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