Toothbrush: the first mass-produced item was that of William Addis, 1780
Razor, double-bladed: emerged from a British laboratory in the late 1900s
Bath: a spa town founded by King Bladud [see Bladud] and a domestic luxury; the islanders love a good soak, particularly their womenfolk
Soap: the earliest record of soap manufacture in Britain was in Sopar's Lane, London, in 1259 [Source: Robertson/Shell]; the world was to wait until 1829 for the appearance of James Atkinson's Old Brown London Soap, the first wrapped soap
Flush toilet: John Harison, a godson of Elizabeth I, invented this godsend in 1597, and the queen was delighted with it; London watchmaker Alexander Cumming invented the ‘S’ bend to retain residual water and prevent back-venting of sewer gases, filing the first patent for the modern flush toilet in 1775; an improved design was produced by Joseph Bramah in 1778; the modern flush toilet was finally developed around 1820 by Albert Giblin; George Jennings designed and installed the world’s first modern public convenience for the Great Exhibition of 1851; he charged one penny; this is the probable origin of the British phrase ‘to spend a penny’; a Vacant/Engaged bolt for toilet doors was first manufactured in 1883 by C Cross & Co. of Herne Hill, under A Ashwell's patent [Source: Robertson/Shell]; Thomas Twyford introduced a one-piece ceramic toilet in 1885, the Unites
Linoleum: this was invented by Frederick Walton in 1860 and was the first synthetic floor covering (it is made from linseed oil with resin and cork dust, on a flax backing)
Wallpaper: the earliest known example is from Christ's College, Cambridge, and dates from 1509 [Source: Robertson]
Vacuum cleaner: invented by Hubert Booth in 1901; the bagless vacuum cleaner was invented by James Dyson in 1992; the first robot vacuum cleaner for domestic use was the bagless Dyson DC06
Gas cooker:
'The first gas cooker commercially practicable, was designed by James Sharp, assistant manager of the Northampton Gas Co., and installed in the kitchen of his home in Northampton, England, in 1826. The first commercially produced models were acquired by the Bath Hotel, Leaminster, and the Angel Inn, Northampton, in 1834.' [Source: Robertson]
Washing machine: the first was the steam-driven affair of William Strutt in 1796
Washing up gloves: J Allen Rubber Company, 1950; ‘Marigold’ latex rubber gloves were the world’s first for domestic use
Refrigeration: Jacob Perkins, an American in Britain, filed the first patent for vapour-compression refrigeration in 1834
Mousetrap, perpetual: Colin Pullinger, 1860
Scissors: the first mass producer of modern two-part scissors was Robert Hinchliffe of London in 1761
Chronology of additional domestic firsts & milestones: [Source: Robertson/Shell]
1630 - Sash windows (first recorded); installed at Raynham Hall, Norfolk, by Inigo Jones
1635 - Cooking range (iron); patented by John Sibthorpe
1666 - Bookcase (glass-fronted); built for Samuel Pepys by joiner Simpson
1769 - Venetian blinds patented by Edward Beran of London
1792 - Domestic gas lighting; William Murdoch, Redruth, Cornwall; used bladders of coal gas
1826 - Spring mattress; patented by Samuel Pratt of London
1851 - Rocking chair exhibited by R W Winfield at the Great Exhibition, London
1868 - Geyser; the first domestic gas heater was invented by London decorator Benjamin Waddy Maughan and manufactured by Maughan's Patent Geyser Co. of Finsbury; this piece of technology was the main instigator of the bathroom as a separate room in the house, a social revolution in itself, in the direction of privacy, comfort and luxury
1889 - Woven name tapes; J & J Cash, Coventry
1893 - Tumble-drier; gas heated Factotum, invented in Britain by Dr Money. Wash was rotated over warm air by hand crank; water motor as optional extra
1913 - Imitation coal fire (electric); manufactured by Falkirk Iron Co., Scotland (recalling a line of poet John Betjeman, 1906-84, 'Turn on the logs in the grate')
1927 - Electric blanket manufactured by Thermega Ltd of London
1934 - Extractor fan (domestic); window fan unit with plastic vanes introduced in the UK by Vent-Axia
1934 - Automatic tea-maker, electric; 'Teasmade' manufactured by Goblin of Leatherhead
1934 - Stainless steel sink unit; Savestane Synkunit introduced in the UK
1947 - Food processor; Kenwood Chef, designed and manufactured at Woking, Surrey by Kenneth Wood
[see Technology for e.g. Gas heating, Light bulb, Timekeeping etc]
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