3. The Refrigerator Has Scottish Origins
What would we do without this cold kitchen appliance to store our beer in? The modern refrigerator is quite a sophisticated piece of technology, and many minds contributed to its ultimate form. However the origins of this household necessity stem from the work of Scottish professor William Cullen back in 1755.
4. Thomas Crapper Didn’t Invent the Flushing Toilet
There was a time when people relied on an outdoor privy or under-bed chamber pot. Then along came Edinburgh-born Alexander Cumming, who obtained the first patent for the flushing toilet in 1775. His inventive twist included an S-shaped pipe that prevented sewer gases from entering buildings (bless him). Everyone likes to credit Thomas Crapper with this invention – the name fits so well – but he was really just the London plumber who helped popularize it.
