Molly Ayala
The history of the shower is a long and fascinating one, dating back to ancient civilizations like the Egyptians and the Mesopotamians, who used jugs of water to bathe. Fast forward to the 1870s, when modern showers were introduced in French army barracks, and the late 19th century, when indoor plumbing became a reality, paving the way for the electric showers that would emerge in the 1960s. This evolution in plumbing and engineering brought about the modern shower, with its adjustable temperature, spray pressure, and nozzle angle. While the exact date of the first electric shower's invention is unclear, we know that by the 1960s, electric showers were available to the public in the UK and the US, revolutionizing bathing and making it accessible to all.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year the first electric shower was invented | 1960s |
| First patent for a shower | 1767 by William Feetham |
| First hot water shower | English Regency Shower invented in the 19th century |
| First heated shower using a steam engine | Invented by François Merry Delabost in the 1870s |
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What You'll Learn
- The first modern shower was invented in 1767 by William Fettham/Feetham
- The first electric showers were available to the public in the 1960s
- In the 19th century, the English Regency Shower was the first hot water shower
- In the 1870s, modern showers were installed in French army barracks
- François Merry Delabost invented the first heated shower using a steam engine
The first modern shower was invented in 1767 by William Fettham/Feetham
The act of showering has been around for thousands of years, with the first natural form of a shower being rain, and the first natural version of a shower being a waterfall. Ancient tribal people would stand under the falling water to clean themselves.
The first mechanical shower, however, was invented in 1767 by William Fettham/Feetham, a stove maker from Ludgate Hill in London. This early modern-day shower was powered by a hand pump and used less water than baths. Feetham's invention included a pump that forced water into the upper basin and a chain that was pulled by the bather to pour water over themselves. The patent states:
> "I do not claim, or intend hereby to claim, as my invention any of the parts which may be already in use, but I do claim the means of regulating the flow of the water from the cock of a shower bath, and also the method of extending, or contracting within central limits, the shower of water at pleasure."
Feetham's invention paved the way for the development of the electric shower, which was a gradual process, starting with the English Regency Shower in the 19th century. This was the first hot water shower, designed with a metal frame and painted to look like bamboo, but it was still powered by a hand pump. It wasn't until the late 19th century, with the advent of indoor plumbing, that people could easily use free-standing showers connected to a running water source. By the 1960s, tankless water heaters made modern electric showers available to the wider public in the UK.
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The first electric showers were available to the public in the 1960s
The history of the shower is a long and fascinating one, with the earliest examples of humans seeking out waterfalls to bathe under and the ancient Egyptians replicating this with ceramic jugs. The Greeks and Romans then developed the first drainage systems, with the latter creating public bathhouses.
Fast forward to the 18th century and the first modern shower was invented in 1767 by William Feetham, a London stove maker. This early prototype was powered by a hand pump and used less water than baths. Over the next century, improvements in plumbing and the invention of indoor plumbing in the late 19th century made showers more accessible to the public.
The development of the electric shower was a gradual process, starting with the English Regency Shower in the 19th century, which was the first hot water shower. However, it was still powered by a hand pump. It wasn't until the 1960s that modern electric showers became available to the wider public in the UK. This was made possible by the invention of tankless water heaters, which allowed for the shower conversion in the smallest of spaces.
The 1960s also saw the bathroom become a source of pride for the aspirational housewife, with the influence of Hollywood movies sparking a desire for luxury and choice in bathroom design. The functionality of the shower remained mostly unchanged, but it started to become more commonplace in the average home. By the 1980s, the popularity of the shower had exploded, with different shower heads, coloured lights, and body jets catching on. Today, the electric shower is a fixture in homes around the world, with around 62% of all houses now having one installed.
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In the 19th century, the English Regency Shower was the first hot water shower
The history of the shower is a long and fascinating one. From the ancient Egyptians, who replicated the effects of a waterfall by pouring water over themselves, to the Greeks, who developed the first drainage systems, the idea of showering has evolved over millennia.
The development of the English Regency Shower marked a significant step towards modern showering. Prior to this invention, the act of bathing often involved carrying lukewarm water from the stove in the basement kitchen up to the second-floor bedroom. This cumbersome process highlights the challenges faced before the advent of modern plumbing.
The English Regency Shower represented a notable advancement in personal hygiene and comfort. It paved the way for the introduction of indoor plumbing in the homes of the wealthy in the early 1900s and its subsequent widespread adoption in the 1930s. By the 1960s, tankless water heaters revolutionised showering, making modern electric showers accessible to the general public in the UK.
The evolution of the shower continued with the advent of mixer showers, which combine existing hot and cold water supplies, and power showers, which boost water pressure with an electric pump. Today, we benefit from a range of showering options, including digital showers that offer precise temperature control and eco-showers designed to conserve water.
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In the 1870s, modern showers were installed in French army barracks
The first modern shower was invented in 1767 by William Fettham, a stove maker from Ludgate Hill in London. These early modern-day showers were powered by a hand pump and used less water than baths. The development of the electric shower was a gradual process, starting with the English Regency Shower in the 19th century. This was the first hot water shower, powered by a hand pump that pushed water through a tank.
The French communal shower system was soon adopted by other armies, with Prussia following suit in 1879. They were also introduced in boarding schools and public bathhouses, with the first public bathhouse shower opening in Vienna in 1887.
The late Victorian era in England also played a pivotal role in the development of the modern shower, with a focus on cleanliness and purity, as well as engineering advancements. However, even in the early 1900s, most homes in England lacked indoor plumbing, as servants were still available to heat water. It wasn't until the 1920s in the US and the 1960s in the UK that the shower became accessible to the general public, with the debut of electric showers.
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François Merry Delabost invented the first heated shower using a steam engine
The first modern shower was invented in 1767 by William Feetham, who introduced a mechanical system of pumping water from a high basin with a chain. However, the first heated shower was invented by François Merry Delabost, a French physician and surgeon, in 1872. Delabost was chief physician and surgeon-general at Bonne Nouvelle prison in Rouen, France. He replaced individual baths with mandatory communal showers, arguing that they were more economical and hygienic.
Delabost's system used a steam engine to heat the water, allowing up to eight people to shower simultaneously with just 20 litres of water. This invention improved hygiene conditions in Europe and was continuously improved over time. The French system of communal showers was soon adopted by other armies, the first being Prussia's in 1879, as well as by boarding schools and prisons in other jurisdictions.
The original prototype of Delabost's shower was further refined with advancements in plumbing at the end of the 19th century, resulting in the shower we know today. Common showers were initially intended for the army and were later introduced in bathhouses accessible to the general public. The first shower in a public bathhouse opened in 1887 in Vienna.
The development of the electric shower was a gradual process. The English Regency Shower, invented in the 19th century by an unknown entrepreneur, was the first hot water shower. It featured a metal frame painted to look like bamboo and was powered by a hand pump that pushed water through a tank. Indoor plumbing was introduced in the late 19th century, enabling people to use free-standing showers connected to a running water source.
By the 1960s, tankless water heaters made modern electric showers accessible to the wider public in the UK. Today, showers have become an integral part of daily life, with approximately half of people in the UK showering or bathing at least once a day.
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Frequently asked questions
The first electric shower was invented in the 1960s.
Before the invention of the electric shower, people used natural sources of water such as waterfalls as a way of bathing.
The key feature of the first electric shower was the ability to heat water locally using electrical power, doing away with the need for a hand pump.
The invention of the electric shower made showers accessible to the general public, with electric showers allowing for shower conversion in small spaces.
In 1767, William Feetham patented the first modern shower, which pumped water into a basin above the user's head. In the 19th century, the English Regency Shower was invented, which was the first hot water shower.
