Which decade in the UK did the name toilet become popular?

Question

Before my RN days it was 'Lav' then 'Heads' can you settle a family argument

Answer 1

In Victorian times "doing one's toilet" simply meant getting dressed. The correct term for what we call the toilet was and indeed, still is the lavatory. To the late Victorian middle classes, lavatory sounded "common" so its use was discouraged. I would suggest that widespread use of the word toilet rather than lavatory began to take place after WWII, when lots of people began to have aspirations to belong to the middle classes. As incomes and standards of living rose throughout the 50s and 60s the term toilet was firmly in use. As far as the RN is concerned, the heads as a descriptive term is still in use.

Answer 2

In the decade Mr Crapper actually started to install them.

The place where you went to do your toilet (French for washing with a small cloth)

The proletariat who had the actual apparatus in a small room rather than in a larger place which involved dressing etc- general getting ready- have called it everything from lav. to bog and many will continue to do so.

Answer 3

When I first read your question, I thought you meant a person's name. And then I thought, there was a trend in the UK where everyone named their kids Toilet? And then I thought, what a great name.

Answer 4

It's french. [French toilette]
[Origin: 1530–40 ] toilette small cloth, doily, dressing table, equiv. to toile toil2 + -ette

Answer 5

Just after they stopped calling it the shithouse....about 2001

Answer 6

WHAT A CRAPPY QUESTION!