Today is Thomas Crapper Day. Here’s Why it Shouldn’t Be Flushed Away
This article, ironically, is probably being read while you're having a seat on "the crapper." This post is not full of toilet humor but of toilet knowledge. Okay, I'll stop. Today, January 27, is Thomas Crapper Day and here's why it's a big deal.
First off, Thomas Crapper is not the inventor of the toilet, that is credited to John (why we also call it "the john") Harrington way back in the year of our Lord 1596, but Thomas did improve on the design and give us some other plumbing inventions.
Thomas founded the Thomas Crapper & Co. Ltd in 1866 in London where he patented and manufactured "sanitary appliances." His patents include drain improvements, pipe joints and manhole covers, among others. Thomas Crapper was very proud of his work and would talk about it even when it wasn't necessarily the most proper thing to do. He was also the first to have bathroom fixture showrooms. His plumbing products were even used by the British Royal Family, which was a big deal in the late 1800's.
So how did the term "the crapper" come to be? Let's go back to World War 1 with American soldiers in Europe seeing the Thomas Crapper & Co. Ltd logo on toilets. They simply thought it was funny that crap was going into a "crapper" and brought the term back with them to the states.
The video at the top of the page, from YouTube channel Today I Found Out, has a lot more great info on the subject. Perfect for getting through your next visit to "the washroom" as some like to call it.