Opened in 2002 the Flushed with Pride gallery was a joint effort between companies involved in sanitaryware. The three major companies were:
- Twyford Bathrooms
- Armitage Shanks
- Thomas Crapper Company
They donated approximately 100 thousand euros including artifacts in order to place a spotlight on sanitation. Helping society remember where we came from and where we have developed to in terms of sanitation. This gallery is located inside of the Gladstone Pottery Museum in Stroke-on-Trent, UK. This city is known for its pottery industry with a history in ceramics and roots going as far back as the Victorian era.
This gallery will give you great insight and respect for our current toilet designs as previous ways of using the bathroom were not as comfortable. Some of the things you’ll find in the gallery are interesting to learn about such as “coach-pots” for women to carry with them for personal use in areas bathrooms were not as common. Toilet bowls were very decorated with a variety of designs and artistic engravings unlike modern toilets today which have a completely white coating for a cleanly appearance. There were people who worked as sewage removers called “Night-Soil Men” and if the job title leads you to think of someone that comes at night to take your poo away, your absolutely correct this is exactly what they did!
Information about toilets is in abundance at the Flushed with Pride gallery, details about the first water closet among so many other things. If you are too far to be able to visit here is a link to an awesome photo album made by Dr. Hilary Rhodes.