Today is the anniversary of the death of Sir John Harington in 1612. As well as being a courtier, author and godson of Elizabeth I, Harington was an inventor and is known for his flush toilet, or flush water closet.
Harington gave full details of his flush toilet in his book A New Discourse of a Stale Subject, called the Metamorphosis of Ajax, which I have added here for you to read. You'll find it on page 180 of that PDF or in the section called "An Anatomy of the Metamorpho-sed Ajax". Click on the link below:
Great timing…Sir John is a distant ancestor and the family’s claim to fame!!
all amazing. we own sir john our kindness
never knew it
cool facts
I first heard of Sir John in my Advanced Shakespeare class when we read “As You Like It.” By the time the character Jaques had been thoroughly discussed there was no danger of me ever forgetting this benefactor of society!
Ah yes! I’d forgotten about As You Like it and Jacques!