As you can see, we are quite fortunate to have an indoor "water closet", but this is still somewhat of a luxury. Earlier in the second half of the century, indoor plumbing was available but expensive. Those who could afford it converted unused bedrooms into bathrooms. They were also known as "the necessary".

People were somewhat embarrassed by the water closet, so where they could, they attempted to disguise the fixtures as wooden furniture or hid it behind screens. Tubs resembled large chests or cabinets enclosed in dark woods. Great lengths were also taken to hide the commode from view concealing it behind a curtain or screen or sometimes even placing it in a room of its own.

There presently is a movement toward cleanliness, and the "water closet" is now starting to look more like the bathrooms you find in your home.

Credits:

Site, background, buttons and water closet are the creation of the webmaster, B. Malheiro.

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