Comfort is real. It can be felt, tasted, and seen. It can also change with time. One of the most unromantic and often overlooked aspects of comfort in our homes today is indoor plumbing.

Although the earliest examples date back to approximately 6000 years ago to the Indus Valley in India,  it was not until the middle of the 19th century that plumbing systems were invented that were the basis for those we know today. In the late 19th century, Thomas Crapper, owner of a plumbing establishment bought the patent for and manufactured the “Silent Valveless Water Waste Preventer”. As such he has erroneously been credited with the invention of the toilet. He did, however, secure an important commission. He was asked to create a toilet with velvet padded back and arms for none other than King Edward VII of England who in turn gave it to his mistress, Lily Langtry. Such a romantic gift.

Bath tubs during this era were made of copper and tin and were built into fancy cabinetry, as was the decoratively painted sink and its unsightly pipes. The room was decorated like any other room – with furniture, tapestries, and curtains.  With the availability of pressurized water came the shower. Located in a separate room of its own, it was promoted for its therapeutic properties. Housed in what appeared to be a large space age bird cage covered by a canvas curtain, it featured nozzles for a shampoo spray, a kidney or liver spray, and a bidet spray – all with separate controls. The toilet, as we know it today, was hidden in its own space, hence a “water closet”.

Providing a consistent water supply and effective waste disposal system was one of the most crucial tasks facing early Alberta municipalities. According to Mark Denhez, in his book “The Canadian Home” ,  Edmonton grew by 700 percent and Calgary almost 1000% in the first decade of the 20th century. Both became “cities of backyard privies, the scent of which drifted over the countryside on hot summer nights”.      

By WW1 most “modern” homes of that era featured a full bathroom – at least in the cities. Many smaller towns and most rural areas still secured water the old way – from rivers or wells, by trapping rainwater in barrels and by melting snow in the winter. Cisterns and septic tanks were expensive to build and considered high maintenance. This state of affairs continued in some areas as late as the 1950’s.

By WW1 most “modern” homes of that era featured a full bathroom – at least in the cities. Many smaller towns and most rural areas still secured water the old way – from rivers or wells, by trapping rainwater in barrels and by melting snow in the winter. Cisterns and septic tanks were expensive to build and considered high maintenance. This state of affairs continued in some areas as late as the 1950’s.

 After WW1 ended there began a period of rebuilding and modernizing, which was slowed but not stopped by the Great Depression. Automobiles became more affordable and this led to the building of many new houses in the suburbs. In these modern homes the tub of choice was the 5 foot long porcelain claw foot tub. It could sit in the room free standing or could be built into a wall niche. Sinks were pedestal styled, and featured exposed plumbing. The development of the germ theory and fear based advertising

The Americans were the first to popularize the idea of putting the toilet and tub in the same room. Showers became more of an add-on to the tub rather than a separate unit. They could be as simple as a hand held tube and spray head, available for as little as 60 cents, or a more sophisticated adjustable shower head that was fixed above the tub by means of a metal pipe that encircled it. The shower curtain was attached to this pipe.         ( note:  The concept of a separate shower stall as we know it today, fell in popularity after the 1960’s Alfred Hitchcock movie “Psycho”, leaving  the market open for the development new tub styles such as the Jacuzzi tub).

By the late 1920’s manufacturers offered their customers, for a small extra fee, all their fixtures in vivid glowing colour. Walls and floors were covered in tile or less expensive linoleum, asphalt, rubber, plastic and asbestos. Oil based paints, developed for bathrooms and kitchens, were used sparingly – on dados made of less expensive cement board,  above the tiled wainscot or sometimes just on the ceiling. The technique of stippling was often used in order to minimize brush marks.

Hot water heated towel warmers were available for the wealthier customer. Soap holders for the tub and sink, towel bars, and toilet paper holders were made of white porcelain enamel or less expensive nickel plated brass.

Every fixture we have in our bathrooms today was invented almost 100 years ago and little, except for some of the materials used, has changed. The biggest difference between the bathroom of the early 20th century and that of today is size. “The old bathroom was a modest place to visit. Today it is an extravagant place to inhabit” (Old House Journal).

The concept of comfort is a moving target. If one changes the bathroom of old to suit the concept of comfort today, it usually means serious architectural alteration which is often non reversible. Better to build another bathroom elsewhere and save the original for children or guests.  

Written by: Johanne Yakula

From Times Past