Although Thomas Crapper is credited with the invention of the toilet, the flushing toilet was actually invented by John Harrington in 1596. John Crapper did however improve the toilet and held nine patents, three of them for the water closet improvements such as the floating ballcock which we still see in toilets today. In a time when bathroom fixtures were barely spoken of, Crapper heavily promoted sanitary plumbing and pioneered the concept of the bathroom fixture showroom.
In the 1880’s Prince Edward (later Edward VIII) asked Thomas Crapper & Company to supply the plumbing fixtures including lavatories with cedarwood seats and enclosures, thus giving Crapper is first Royal Warrant.
