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John HARINGTON
1591 - The flush toilet is invented (Sir John Harington, England)

Harington devised England's first flushing toilet - called the Ajax. It was installed at his manor in Kelston...

In 1591, Sir John Harington, an English courtier and godson of Queen Elizabeth I, invented the flush toilet. Harington’s design featured a bowl with a water-tight seal, a seat, and a cistern-operated flushing mechanism that released water to carry waste away through pipes to a cesspool. While innovative, it didn’t gain widespread use due to its cost and the lack of a proper sewage system. Harington’s invention laid the foundation for modern plumbing, and the flush toilet became common in the 19th century after further improvements by inventors like Thomas Crapper.



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