And the credit goes to... Thomas Crapper!

(Published on 12 June 2007 in 'Women at Work' - W @ W - a supplement of the Daily Mirror, Colombo, Sri Lanka)

I’m often asked where I get my inspiration to write from... or on how I select what to write on in the Miss Know-All column. The truth is that just about everything intrigues me – and I have a nose that’s keen to dig deeper for answers. Curiosity they say kills the cat… but not me pretties! Curiosity is what I thrive on. From shady scams to crazy jams, we, the Miss Know All’s have an answer to everything.

This write - up may take you by surprise. Words that seem unimportant have interesting origins. We’ve all heard of the word ‘crap’. Apologies to those, who are cringing at the very mention of the word. However, knowledge is knowledge… even if it is – well, ‘crappy’! The word crap was imported into the English language from the Dutch in the 15th century, and means ‘to defecate’.

However, it is also believed that the word ‘crap’ originated from Thomas Crapper’s name. Mr. Crapper was a plumber who ran a successful plumbing business in England from 1861 to 1904. Crapper had a successful run in the plumbing industry. He held nine patents for plumbing related things: four for improvements to drains, three for water closets, one for manhole covers and the last for pipe joints.

However, the most famous product attributed to Thomas Crapper wasn't invented by him at all. The "Silent Valveless Water Waste Preventer" was a symphonic discharge system that allowed a toilet to flush effectively when the cistern was only half full. Albert Giblin, an employee of Crapper, was responsible for this invention and held the 1819 British Patent for it. Crapper bought the patent rights from Giblin and marketed the device under the name of his company.

When Thomas Crapper retired, he sold his shop to two partners who operated the company under the Crapper name. The Crapper company lived on until 1966, completing 105 years in business.

It is believed that during World War I doughboys, who were passing through England linked Crapper's name with the toilet. They saw the words T. Crapper-Chelsea printed on toilet tanks and coined the slang term ‘crapper’ for the toilet. Hence, the use of the word - ‘crap,’ to express use of the toilet.

Thomas Crapper may not be the inventor of the product he is associated with, but what remains undisputed is that his contribution to plumbing history is significant. Whether for water closets, manhole covers, pipe joints, toilet flushes or for the origins of the word ‘crap’ – the credit shall always go to… Thomas Crapper!

Miss Know-All
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