The friction match
John Walker, the friction match, and how he was nearly forgotten by history.
John Walker was born on 29 May 1781 in Stockton-on-Tees. He was a chemist whose accidental discovery changed the world. While experimenting with chemical mixtures in 1825, Walker inadvertently created the first friction match when a coated stick ignited upon striking the stone at the front of the fireplace.
He was originally an apprentice to a surgeon, but John Walker later opened a chemist shop in Stockton-on-Tees.
Known as the 'Stockton Encyclopedia', he was a respected figure with well known clients, including industrialists from the Stockton and Darlington Railway.
Today, John Walker's Fiction match and a replica of his chemist shop can be seen at Preston Park Museum.
