Sanitary pioneer Thomas Crapper died at the age of 73 on January 27, 1910.
It is a common misconception that Crapper developed the flushable toilet; it was actually invented by John Harrington in 1596. Crapper did, however, popularize the toilet, promote sanitary plumbing, and invent the ballcock, which is used to fill water tanks.
Thomas Crapper & Co. bathroom fixtures were considered the most luxurious of his time, so he was asked to outfit the palace of King Edward VII. This gained Thomas Crapper & Co. mass popularity and they went on to provide bathroom fittings to homes and buildings of all kinds.