How we used to live : A Short Social History of the Toilet in Britain 

An old poem a friend taught me as a kid - Old King Cole was a merry old soul, And a merry old soul was he, He woke up in the middle of the night To go to the WC The lightning flashed, The thunder roared, The candle blew a fit, Old King Cole fell down the hole and came up covered in.... !

This was great, Lucy! I have one for you... I read a murder mystery in which a nun is murdered in a convent. Anyway, the inspector asked what was behind the door, and one of the nuns replied that it was "the Necessarium." I'm thinking of using that word from now on.

I like this video format just as much as the usual format! You're such a great storyteller!

I’ve said it before, I don’t think there’s a story you couldn’t tell. This was brilliant!

I have some friends (a married couple) living in Melbourne, Australia, who STILL have to use an outhouse. They live in a very narrow terrace house that was built during the 1800s for the working class, and it has never been upgraded to have an indoor toilet. The neighbourhood they live in, called Brunswick, is covered head to toe in terrace houses just like it, except virtually all of them were renovated with indoor toilets (there was a big push to modernise Australia’s plumbing in the 60s and 70s). Their outhouse must be one of the last remaining Victorian-era outhouses in the city. The outhouse backs onto a narrow laneway, which must be where the night soil men came to empty it. Fortunately, modern plumbing and a flush toilet were added to the outhouse at some stage, so it’s just an inconvenience, not a health hazard.

That was fab, I loved it. I don't know how true it is, but I've watched a couple of videos about The Great Exhibition of 1851 and in it, they said, The Crystal Palace was the first place to charge to go to the loo and that's where "Spend a penny" came from! It's all really interesting regardless of where it came from!

In the US South, 'commode' was a common term in the past for any type of toilet. Now, it seems to only refer to a portable toilet.

So many folk are prude about “toilet talk”. This was great, proper pub quiz stuff. I always thought Thomas Crapper invented our flushing toilet. I always call a toilet “the bog” unless I’m having to be polite and professional 😂 I deal with a lot of “snoots” in my job. This is one episode I was really looking forward to and you did a top class “job” 😂😂 My grandma lived in an old terrace house, she had her “best” bathroom upstairs which nobody was allowed to use but us grandchildren would sneak upstairs and look at it, it was all pink with one of those toilet roll doll things. The normal toilet to use was outside.

I met Cliff Richard in the shitters at Euston Station, back in '63.

Absolutely loved this Lucy. Fascinating. Love your work. You bring history alive and explain details so clearly. I look forward to your videos. Thanks so much xx

Lucy - that was BRILLIANT ! So much information about such a basic subject. I was brought up in North London, in an Edwardian semi house. we had a separate toilet and bathroom and we also had an 'outside' toilet. This was accessed by a door next to the back door, but we never used it as a toilet - more of a shed ! Fascinating video, made even better by your down to earth nature and great personality. Thanks a million for doing your videos. Take care 🙂

In the US, we call really bad toilet paper "John Wayne toilet paper" because it's rough and tough and doesn't take s**t off anyone. 😂

Hello Lucy, Thank you so much for your interesting, educational and funny videos. I discovered your channel just a few days ago and I'm absolutely delighted with your historical research and knowledge. Greetings from Uruguay. Alicia

Well Lucy, not a regular subject but very interesting and well researched. I grew up in the 1950's in an area built in Edwardian times. In spite of an indoor bathroom we had an outside toilet; a candle for lighting and an oil lamp for winter to stop pipes freezing, at least it wasn't shared. Chamber pots in bedrooms at night. These were not really the good old days! Moved to a brand new house in 1961, at last an indoor loo and central heating. Civilisation at last but posh soft toilet paper was only just coming on the market.

I couldn't imagine going into a pub or restaurant asking the whereabouts of the "bathroom"! Honestly, they'd think I was asking if could actually have a wash! I can understand using the term in a private residence, in a room where there actually IS a bath. But when you are just needing to take a leak, it's a "toilet" you want, not a "bath". I almost always use "toilet", but during my school days in the 80s "bog" was definitely the term to use. I quite like using "conveniences" if I'm in a smart arse mood. As in "Greetings my good man, would you kindly direct me to the conveniences". Great vid, Lucy. I'm glad I subscribed to your channel. You never quite know what you're going to get, but it's always interesting.

An underrepresented but important part of history, health and hygiene! I like how it is out in time for father's day too 🤭 I am hoping to get to the chiltern open air museum with one of my kids soon- I think that's right up your street and not super far from you!

Hi!! Came across your videos by chance and have watched them all now. We are local, Oldbury! Nice to see a new take on local (and further away) videos. Keep up the good work 😊 Helen 😊

Imagine the smell. I've heard from I can't remember where but - we couldn't take the smell if we went back in time and they couldn't stand the noise if they came to our time. Love the research. Another name for toilet in Australia is long drop lol. Take care.

Thanks Lucy, that was so interesting. I too liked the way you presented this video. I look forward to the next one. 😊

Lucy you are the best!! I love hearing about all of this & thank my lucky stars I was born in the flushing indoor toilet era 😂😂👍👍

We didn't listen and watched this over our dinner... and it was still amazing! Such great history and I am such a buff of history that everyone thinks about but very few think to ask about! Coming from Edinburgh where it's argued that the corruption 'Gardy Loo' came from, we got taught a lot about what the streets of Edinburgh looked like before plumbing... shudder! And I haven't heard the word Cludgie since my grandad passed! Very much a word thats dying out with the oldest generation in Scotland. But definitely remember him calling the toilet that.

Thank you for covering this icky, but essential subject. It was not until the late 1970s that my gran's outhouse was dismantled. Indoor plumbing had been installed in the 1960s at least. (Although this came at the cost of losing the second bedroom). Cheers.

Fabulous, loved this! In Oz we don't use the word John, it's usually loo. In generations past we had the Longdrop - usually a toilet set up over a deep hole/mine shaft, or Thunderbox an outside toilet where the night soil was removed once per week. Melbourne quickly followed London in the smell stakes - t'was known as Smellbourne - then the sewerage stakes. There was a town set up at the sewerage farm, Cocaroc, (means 'frog' in local Indigenous language) that hosted 4 primary schools.

BESTIE! The only new ones for me were khazi & cludgie. If you want a comprehensive list, "comfort room" or CR is used in the Philippines. I only I'm in USA and use the word toilet & have never had anyone look askance. But more often even in rooms without a bath tub, I say I'm going to the bathroom. At work when we are online and need to leave a meeting or explain an absence - it's a "bio break." This is not widespread - yet. My husband goes to a urinal.

Brillianty educational and delivered with great humour. Thank goodness we're living in the 21st century, with all, our comforts and privacy. 😊

I did notice when I was in Florida that I wasn’t sure what to ask for, I was given strange looks when I asked for bathroom. I think it ended up with restroom. I’ve definitely used an outdoor toilet over a pit but never in the city, only camping and cottages. Cheers from 🇨🇦

Good one Lucy, 'The flush toilet was the first significant movement'! Pardon the toilet humour, but sincerely, most interesting, thank you.

Very interesting Lucy I learnt lots of new facts which I can shock or bore my grandkids with .

It was 1971 when we moved into a masonette that we first got a bathroom and an inside loo. It was heaven 😂 Yes my Dad called it a khazi (East end of London) and I have to agree with your mum, i can't stand to hear it called a Bog. Another great video babe 👍😘💚

Hi Lucy , we loved your toilet talk x

In the rural US people still had out houses for toilets ( an outdoor enclosed toilet which was a hole in a board over a pit) until the 1950's to the 1990's in some areas. There was no electricity in the area where I live until the 1950's and that was only for a few hours a day. The cities may have been way more advanced than the rural areas. There are areas where theres is still no cell phone service today.

Another word used in the US (mostly by older generations) is "powder room." Ladies would say "I need to powder my nose" when they needed to visit the restroom. Americans also use privy or outhouse to mean an outside pit toilet in its own shed.

What a great and interesting topic. Good for you for doing it. I'm from the US. I personally don't care for the word toilet. I don't know why. I do prefer bathroom or restroom. I have heard of most of the terms you mentioned. But my favorite is the Privy. I wish it was commenly called that here. It just sounds elevated lol. I usually ask for the restroom or ladies room when I'm out in public.

i'll have a blue peter badge !!!!!!!!! lots of love from new zealand

Amazing vloggs always 😊

Hi Lucy i remember when we visited my grandparents they still used a guzzunder at the end of the bed at night so they did not haft to go downstairs and outside to the toilet because there was no heating in the house apart from the Rayburn in the kitchen, i can remember waking up on meny winter mornings with ice on the inside of the windows and it would be there all day, people today are so pampered, are you a star gazer and a musician loved to hear you play, you really made me laugh with this one love your sense of humour so british working class just like me, warped, hahaha 😂😂😂 ,best wishes roy 😊

Great video Lucy! You should come to Edinburgh. So much history here, you'd love it! They also used to shout gardy loo before emptying their pans into the street! 🤢

In a café in Boston a few years ago I asked where the washroom was. The waitress was completely baffled by the question. My American friend explained that his Canadian friend meant the bathroom.

Great Video Lucy...with some shades of Pam Ayres Vocal Delivery...😄 Keep up the good Work.

Great to see you again, love your videos, thank you for sharing 😊

Lucy you’ll have to come to Edinburgh. We’ve got so much history here! A real highlight is Mary Kings Close - I think you’d love it!

Yay!!! You did it Lucy!! You made a vid about toilets! Thankyou! I learned quite a lot that I didn’t know! Loved the other words for the bathroom too.

another amazing video!!

Great and interesting video!❤️🇨🇦

I like your vlogs better when you talk. Like them all. You are doing a great job.

Very informative! I love your channel Lucy. ❤

Great episode,

I certainly learned something today. The was very interesting. I also love learning about social history, especially about the lower classes. It seems like history always focuses on the wealthy and powerful, which doesn't give a real picture of how regular people lived. As far as my reward for watching until the end, I know what a gold star is, and that would be nice, but I have learned only recently about Blue Peter badges. That would probably be a lot more fun. It would certainly be unusual here in the U. S. 😊

Hi Lucy lots of interesting things about toilets today, lots of stuff I never knew. We shouldn’t take things for granted should we, as u say many countries still don’t have these facilities. Brilliant. Thank you 🥰 P.S. I’m a great advocate for public toilets. There are some that are disgusting I know but some are beautifully kept around the country and I would love to see these lol. If it means you pay a little for the up keep then fair doos 👍

Never thought I would enjoy a video about toilets so much. 😂 Here (in the Flemish part) we use the acronym 'wc' (and I knew what it meant 😊) a lot and also toilet (but pronounced the French way).

In castles they had their clothes in a room high up in the tower where guards were also guarded,,,,also the toilet.Thats why they called it guard- de- robe, garderobe.

Fantastic subject the toilet! Most parts of rural islands of Scotland, there’s still plenty of outdoor toilets without sewage etc. Hate eco friendly toilets! Nightmare to clean. Oh now the Forth rail bridge still exists a drop toilet, steel shed with a hole to poop on the folks down below, Edinburgh folks would say the “Gaurdy” Dundonians would say the Cludgie, I have no idea what the Shetland word for toilet is yet! I’ve heard the PO! Loo, bog, WC, shithole, the convention, dunny. Outhouse etc.. toilet paper at school was Izal medical paper that doubled up as a tracing paper! Latrine is an army term, head from navy. Toilet humour is essential. Paying for a pee is 20p in some council areas. Radar keys are something that I tend to carry around in my bag. Disabled people can buy their own keys from the blue key company. Because the waiting list for the toilet radar keys is longer than hen’s teeth! Been there done that!

I remember seeing a documentary that stated it was usual in those 1920's and 30's houses that had both and inside and outside toilet it was expected that the maid (by then live out and probably part time) would only use the outside one, and that they'd even have low quality (and cheapest) toilet paper.

Ooh very interesting, thank you :)

for some reason my mom collected old chamber pots and used them for decoration 😝

Thanks Lucy

Never understood why Americans are frightened of the word ‘toilet’. It can’t be a bathroom, there’s no bath in there! Also in Australia there are ‘long drops’. Some rural properties have them, also some camping/hiking sites.

Hi Lucy I think you are amazing.. if I mention the old mill, jolly fitter turves Green, Central Avenue, Shifnal walk you will get where I'm coming from.. I would love it if you could explain one of my childhood memories just off the road from turves Green called the moat just by Albert Brad school. There is a monument around there by the old persons bungalow s plus the moat. It was beautiful in my day but not so much now 😢. Obviously there must be history to it I would love to know. Loving your channel gives me goosebumps 😍

I lived in a house that only had an outside toilet until I was 11 years old, we moved house in 1977 to a house with two indoor loo’s it was luxury lol 😂

19:34 - I Say that "I'm just off to Blow My Nose"

Lucy,you shold make a career in BBC docu programs,I really enjoy your videos😊😊❤❤

I've Just Got to say this Word - #Plop !

My gran had a outside toilet in the 80s, she wouldn't have her council house modernised, and gas lights on stairs and were the bath was

I always say pay a visit

I'm one of those people who hates the feel of velvet. The idea of sitting on a velvet toilet seat gives me some serious heebie jeebies. 😅

I knew most of this but live in USA. I don't know why that man didn't like the word toilet! Sometimes I call it the necessary room. The Amish people in the country here use outhouses and sprinkle lime in the hole but in the summer it's not pleasant. In a building from 1850 here they didn't change the toilets and they were very low to sit on! I was there before cell phones so no photos!

"...Down down the Bog Surked Urko... ..."

yay toilet video 😄🤣🚽 that was fascinating to hear 💩 i wouldnt have wanted to be a night soil man 🤢🤢 i havnt the stomach to do that job 🤢🤢💩💩....... and your head dress looked nice lucy 😃😀 very 1940,s 😃😘

In Texas USA many generations ago men would say they “had to go see a man about a horse”😂

Privy; I was told by my Grandfather that this word was a corruption of the French word "privée". This being the signage on French Toilets. The word was brought bank to England by soldiers returning home after the Great War. My Grandfather served in both World Wars and I had no reason to doubt his word. I am not an etymologist, so I can not speak for the true origin of this term. It never occurred to me that the origin was from something as elitist as "The Privy Council" per se. The latter is appealing, because it may have been intended to mock those in power. Tin opened... worms everywhere.

Difficult where to start(with a straight face) - rhyming slang like Ertha Kitt.....Did you mention LOO.....? Yes, the days taking a newspaper to an outdoor toilet(read the football scores then gone down the pipes)! Might see jokes flying about with the comments! Victorian public toilets were dodgy places to go in the city centres! What do you get when you cross a koala with a skunk-------pooh bear!

🇦🇺Us Aussies don’t call them Dunny’s so much anymore.. when I was a child it was definitely a common term. Most people I know say they are “going to the ladies/men’s room”, the toilet, the bathroom, or the loo.

Hi there Lucy ❤ this is Heather from Iowa USA. I have a question for you, my grandma almost always called the restroom a Tally House. So she'd say that she needed to use or go to the tallyhouse. Do you have any idea where the term came from or any idea at all? I was hoping it would have been in the video but wasn't. I'd ABSOLUTELY love to hear what you may know. Thank you!!!❤❤❤

You can have the techy loo seats if they're wired in properly - my Mum had one - Korean ones have the same electric voltage as Uk

My Town #Toilets will set you Back a 20p Coin - #Loughborough

Everyone the whole world over has to go to the toilet.....it's only we English that are so fascinated my the whole culture of pee and poo so much that we have our own unique sense of humour based upon it! As a social historian, why do you think that is?? PS..are you a musician too, Lucy??

My husband had a poo on the Queens toilet at Cheltenham race course!

What I wonder about was when washing your hands after going to the loo became expected, as iirc a lot of separate loo rooms didn't have a sink in!

The John is America - Australia is the Dunny

Hi Lucy, do you have family with the surname Hamilton by any chance?

I think the people who lived in the country must have had a better time of it . Not so smelly.

The Israelites did the wise thing. They dug a deep hole in the dirt away from water sources . When they finished they filled that hole back up with soil. Rich or poor can dispose of their waste and protect one another from illnesses.

Interesting note: In the Bible at Deut. 23:12-14, God gave direction to the Israelites to designate an area outside the camp for disposing of and covering over human waste.

Well this was a video full of crap how did you become privvy to this information

Hi Lucy! What fun your video was today! The biggest difference I noticed between restrooms in the States the UK, and Europe was the States has/had the door when you closed it on either side had gaps where you could peek in. I was convinced when I was in Catholic Elementary School the nuns had the lavatory specially designed for that purpose….so they good LEAR in to check up on us! Hahaha, yep typical thought from a kid…then again Catholic School in the mid 60’s am sure the door design was perfect for the pious bossy ol nuns! Oops.🫣🤐 In high school we called the restroom either The Head OR…The Pissoir (rhymes with Armoire). Who started that in my world who knows, but my mom HATED me using either term. Have a lovely weekend, am glad you got your internet sorted out! Oh oh oh….woof woof to your lovely pooch! Cheers, 💕🇺🇸

My gran had a outside toilet in the 80s, she wouldn't have her council house modernised, and gas lights on stairs and were the bath was