A quiet toilet, the “Vitromant-silent, available in white and six colours

The ‘Type 87 Vitromant Silent’ toilet was one of the very first one-piece double-trap syphonics flushed by a low level cistern, and designed by A Victor Pimble, Technical Designs Manager at Twyfords, in 1932. It had a small-bore air-pipe which connected a chamber between the two traps to the flushbend. When the cistern was flushed, water poured through the bend, and air from the chamber was forced out through the pipe - reducing the air pressure between the traps to create a partial vacuum, and set up a powerful syphonic action, which continued until the pressure was equalised, and the cistern empty. ‘Type 87 Silent’ was extremely clean, with an anti-foul, box-flushing rim and a large water area, and as its name suggests, unusually quiet. It was shown in the 1935 catalogue, and in the next few years created such a reputation for itself that when Churchill moved into No.10, a number of these were installed. They had to have one minor modification, however - they were supplied without seats. Churchill preferred to perch on the plain porcelain!