dik@zuring.UUCP (12/10/85)
In article <6705@boring.UUCP> lambert@boring.UUCP (Lambert Meertens) writes: >In article <226@argon.kcl-cs.UUCP> phil@argon.UUCP (Phil Thompson) writes: >> In article <76@nbs-amrf.UUCP> hopp@nbs-amrf.UUCP (Ted Hopp) writes: >>>> One question: The person who flamed me called my article "crap". [...] >>>> What does the word "crap" mean? >>> The word "crap" literally means "trash". It has the additional connotation >>> of excrement or something equally unappealing. >> The origin of the word "crap" is Thomas Crapper. He invented the first >> flushing toilet. So "crap", if it means anything, means excrement. > >Who can shed light on this? Of particular interest is evidence of T.C.'s >inventorship of the flushing toilet (such as a patent issued in his name; >but from an independent source, not from the biography). > >By the way, did you know that "Flushing toilets" are called thus because >they were first produced and employed in Flushing? Quoted from 'Temples of Convenience' by Lucinda Lambton, St. Martin's Press, 175 Fifth Ave., New York, N.Y. 10010 (ISBN 0-312-79085-6): The first lavatory with working parts and flushing water was invented by Sir John Harington, the godson of Queen Elizabeth I, in 1596. 'This devise of mine' wrote Harington in his 'Metamorphosis of Ajax', a learned and elaborate treatise on the water closet, 'requires not a sea full of water, but a cisterne, not a whole Tems (Thames) full, but half a tunne full, to keep all sweete and savourie.' He installed one in his house at Kelstone near Bath and one for his godmother the Queen, at Richmond Palace, but all the enticing words were to no further avail. He was 179 years before his time. The reeking stinking years were to go on until 1775 when the first successful patent for a water closet was taken out, although James I had granted one in 1617, but nothing more was heard of it. ... In 1775 Alexander Cummings, a watch and clockmaker, took out the first patent for a water closet - 'a water closet upon a new construction' - with the important feature of the S trap. It was improved two years later by Thomas Potter who flattered himself that the 'different noblemen and gentlemen in the three kingdoms, having used them with satisfaction, will be the means of promoting them'. (From the patents description.) In 1778 this invention was again altered and perfected by Joseph Bramah amd was to remain the most satisactory water closet for the next ninety-eight years. By 1797 Bramah was claiming to have made and sold six thousand of these closets, and the quality of his workmanship had become so high that the words 'a Bramah' came to be an expression for anything of first rate quality. The book features some beautiful photographs as well. Hope this sheds some light. -- dik t. winter, cwi, amsterdam, nederland UUCP: {seismo,decvax,philabs,okstate,garfield}!mcvax!dik
jaap@mcvax.UUCP (Jaap Akkerhuis) (12/10/85)
In article <257@zuring.UUCP> dik@zuring.UUCP (Dik T. Winter) writes: > a lot And he hopes > this sheds some light. Well it did. Thanks for the info. I think I can supply some more light, especially on this part: > in 1596. 'This devise of mine' wrote Harington in his 'Metamorphosis > of Ajax', a learned and elaborate treatise on the water closet, > 'requires not a sea full of water, but a cisterne, not a whole Tems > (Thames) full, but half a tunne full, to keep all sweete and savourie.' You may wonder what makes it special not requiring 'a sea full of water'. Well, in the bay of the Isle of Barra, (West of Scotland, 57 N, 00:30' W) lies a castle (Kiessimul castle) dated back to around 1200. It is supposed to have the first flushing toilets. If the tide came in and out a room was cleaned out as well. jaap BTW, Barra is also famous for it's beaches. The only trouble is that it is located next in Scotland, so the rain is stending in the way of making it a holiday resort. An other thing what makes it famous is the movie `Whisky Galore'.
dik@zuring.UUCP (12/10/85)
[You shouldn't stop if you think you found it.]
A further quote:
Thomas Crapper, ... His main interest was with cisterns and water
waste preventers although he did supply a lavatory emblazoned with
the Prince of Wales' feathers, which was supposedly allowed when he
had been given the Royal Warrant after he had installed the drains and
sanitary fittings at Sandringham between 1886 and 1909.
(The fact that the flushing toilet was invented so long ago does not mean
that people were clean according to our standards. To quote: Queen Elizabeth I
had a bath once a month, whether she needed it or not. This is oddly at
variance with the Swedish custom of washing once a week: lordag).
--
dik t. winter, cwi, amsterdam, nederland
UUCP: {seismo,decvax,philabs,okstate,garfield}!mcvax!dikdbmk1@stc.UUCP (12/11/85)
In article <907@mcvax.UUCP> jaap@mcvax.UUCP (Jaap Akkerhuis) writes: >You may wonder what makes it special not requiring 'a sea full of water'. >Well, in the bay of the Isle of Barra, (West of Scotland, 57 N, 00:30' W) >lies a castle (Kiessimul castle) dated back to around 1200. It is supposed to >have the first flushing toilets. If the tide came in and out a room was cleaned >out as well. The palace of Knossos in Crete had "water toilets" about 1900 BC. (not flushing - constant flow but with a little gate across the channel on the uphill side). Mind you - they also had planned air conditioning. -- Regards Derek !seismo!mcvax!ukc!stc!dbmk1 I've heard that re-incarnation is making a come-back.
wjr@x.UUCP (Bill Richard) (12/11/85)
In article <907@mcvax.UUCP> jaap@mcvax.UUCP (Jaap Akkerhuis) writes: >Well, in the bay of the Isle of Barra, (West of Scotland, 57 N, 00:30' W) >lies a castle (Kiessimul castle) dated back to around 1200. It is supposed to >have the first flushing toilets. Actually, the earliest know flushing toilets were found in the anicent palace at Knossos, Crete (ca. 1200 B.C.) They consisted of a baisn with a drain at the back and covered with a seat. When you were done you dumped a jug of water into the basin and its contents were flushed into the drain and out of the palace. For pictures and descriptions see, "The Palace of Minos", Sir Arthur Evans' record of his excavations at Knossos. (About 10 volumes, try the archeology section of a university library) There is also a one volume popular summary of his work, but I'm afraid I can't remember the author or title at the moment. ---- William J. Richard @ Charles River Data Systems 983 Concord St. Framingham, MA 01701 Tel: (617) 626-1112 uucp: ...!decvax!frog!wjr