The New Fangled Bathroom

Seeing as ceramic tiles have been with us for many thousands of years, it may come as a surprise to some that ceramic bathroom tiles are a relatively new idea in the United Kingdom. I'm sure most of us have heard stories from their parents or grand parents about bathing in a tin bath in front of the fire in the sitting room, or having to make do with an outside privy in the bleak midwinter. It was during the late nineteenth century that a dedicated bathroom became a feature in homes of the middle and upper classes, however the plumbing and ceramics were prohibitively expensive for the working classes and hence, the old tin bath overstayed its welcome for many years.

Although the early 20th century saw the introduction of a dedicated bathroom in all new build homes, the 1951 census revealed that one in three homes in the UK still didn't have a plumbed in bath tub and even more still relied on an outside toilet. This, amongst other contributing factors led to further slum clearances which began in the 1930's and continued through to the 1960's. The flats and houses which replaced the former slums were all fitted with a fully functioning bathroom and to stop the moisture from steam penetrating the absorbent plaster wall, ceramic bathroom tiles were used.

Bathroom wall tiles were necessary as without them the wall paper would quickly peel away, allowing the plaster to become damp. This would eventually harbour mould and fungus which would have obvious disadvantages with regards to health if left unchecked. However many homes failed to take advantage of ceramic tiles due to the costs. Bathroom tiles were also used as floor covering as they offered a good barrier against water seeping through to the floor, however this was soon superseded by linoleum, or lino as it offered a better water barrier. Lino was also much warmer underfoot than cold ceramic bathroom tiles and was therefore more desirable.

In spite of the fact that without bathroom tiles a bathroom could quickly become unhygienic due to mould and fungus, many bathrooms made do with a few rows of tiles around the bath and sink. It was only in the 1970's and 1980's when showers became popular that people began tiling their bathroom from floor to ceiling. The increased spray and steam from a shower made the extensive fitting of floor to ceiling bathroom wall tiles essential.

Ceramic tiles have been with us since ancient Egypt and were used extensively in Roman bath houses (similar to a sauna). An ancient bath tub dating back to 1700BC was discovered in Crete with similarities to modern bathtubs such as the plughole and plumbing for taps. The first flushing toilet was invented in 1596, however the flushing toilet barely saw the light of day for a further 250 years when they were exhibited at the Great Exhibition of 1851. In light of all these early advances, it's staggering to think that most of us didn't have an indoor bathroom until the 1950's!