Thomas Crapper & Son

It is popularly thought that Thomas Crapper invented the W.C., and that the vulgar word for faeces is a derivative of his name, but neither belief is true. However, etymologists attest that the Amercian word, "crapper", meaning the W.C. is directly from his name.

While Thomas may not have been the flushing toilet's inventor, he did relentlessly promote sanitary fittings to a somewhat dirty and sceptical world and championed the 'water-waste-preventing cistern syphon' in particular. Indeed, he invented the bathroom showroom at his prime store in King's Road, Chelsea, and displayed his wares in large plate glass windows at the Marlboro' Works there. This caused quite a stir and it is said that ladies observing the china bowls in the windows became faint at this shocking sight!

In the Victorian era his toilets became de rigeur and Thomas Crapper & Co became internationally famous. Mr. Crapper's inventiveness was well known; he registered a number of patents, one of which was the 'Disconnecting Trap' which became an essential underground drains fitting. This alone was a great leap forward in the campaign against disease.

By the 1880s, Crapper & Co.'s reputation was such that they were invited to supply the Prince of Wales (later Edward VII) at Sandringham. Subsequently, Windsor Castle, Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey all benefited from Crapper goods and services. Today, the Crapper manhole covers in the Abbey are popular for brass rubbings!

Thomas Crapper died in 1910 and was buried near the grave of the cricketer, W.G. Grace, in Elmers End Cemetery. When his direct descendants died out after the Second World War the company was sold.

The new chairman owned Crapper & Co. for the next twenty-nine years but did little with the business until it was acquired by its current owners Simon Kirby and Warrick Knott, English enthusiasts with a passion for the great heritage of the famous old firm. Simon is an historian of the bathroom industry and (believe or not) a collector of antique loos, basins, taps and even baths!

Now based at Shakespeare's Stratford-on-Avon, the traditions of quality, attention to detail and service are maintained as strictly as they ever were. Exact re-creations of the sanitaryware of 100 years ago are produced, mostly by hand and all in Great Britain as in the past.

At the base in Warwickshire, you can see products on display and learn more about this famous company's history and that of the toilet.