markharrisonuk's Profile

Firstly, I saw this on Steampunk Home and think it looks amazing.

Secondly, Elizcrtv asks about the phrase "spend a penny" to mean "go to the toilet" - this is one of those English phrases for which it's actually possible to give an exact etymology.

In 1851, in London, Prince Albert (husband of Queen Victoria) organised what would later become the first "World Fair". The exhibition was in a custom-built glasshouse in Hyde Park, London, which was called the Crystal Palace. (The London suburb called Crystal Palace is where the glasshouse was moved to after the exhibition!)

The Great Exhibition was visited by over 4.5 million people, which for 150 years ago was a ludicrously big number... and the proceeds were used to build the (UK) Natural History Museum, the Science Museum, Imperial College, and the Royal Albert Hall.

And the phrase - it was the first public event in the UK at which paying toilets were provided to the general public. The price, of one (old UK) penny, was the matter of great outcry in the national press, who even then complained about the introduction of fees.