Having held four royal warrants and having existed through five reigns over 140 years, Thomas Crapper & Co. is a classic manufacturer of the finest bathroom fittings. Here we present a brief history of the company:

Thomas Crapper was born in Yorkshire in 1836, into a family of modest means. At 14 years of age he was apprenticed to a Master Plumber in Chelsea, London. After serving his apprenticeship and then working as a journeyman, he set up in his own right in 1861 as a plumber in Robert Street, Chelsea. Five years later he moved to larger premises, Marlboro' Works, in nearby Marlborough Road.

He quickly gained a singular reputation for quality and service; the company expanded and by 1907 had established a flagship store on the King's Road; opposite Royal Avenue. It is popularly thought that Mr. 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", for the W.C. is directly from his name: the World War I doughboys passing through England saw the words T. Crapper-Chelsea printed on the tanks and coined the slang "crapper" meaning toilet.

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. Amongst others was one for a spring-loaded loo seat which, as the encumbent arose, leapt up pulling rods which automatically flushed the cistern! He also relentlessly promoted sanitary fittings to a somewhat dirty and sceptical world and championed the 'water-waste-preventing cistern syphon' in particular.

By the 1880's, Crapper & Co.'s reputation was such that they were invited to supply the Prince of Wales (later Edward VII) at Sandringham. Windsor Castle, Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey all benefitted from Crapper goods and services. Today, the Crapper manhole covers in the Abbey are popular for brass rubbings! Crapper & Co. remained by Royal Appointment to Edward when he became King and was also warranted by George V, as Prince of Wales and once again as King.

Thomas Crapper died in 1910 and is buried near the grave of the cricketer, W.G. Grace, in Elmers End Cemetery. The company continued under the guidance of his old partner Robert M. Wharam, his son Robert G. Wharam and Mr. Crapper's nephew George Crapper. In 1963 Thomas Crapper & Co. became the property of a rival but has since become an independent company once again, and continues to manufacture the finest bathrooms fittings.