Who was John Crapper?

Thomas Crapper was an English plumber and owner of Thomas Crapper; Co. Despite popular belief, Crapper was not responsible for the invention of the flush toilet, and he did not have the middle name of John.

Crapper was born in 1836 in Yorkshire, England. In 1853, he worked as a plumber's apprentice with a master plumber. He became a sanitary engineer in 1851. Crapper applied for several patents, including the floating ballcock, the disconnecting trap and the bottom slapper. He died in 1910 in Bromley, England. Crapper's company was sold in 1963, though it is still in business as of May 2014. In 2011, the company celebrated its 150th anniversary.