A Conversation for The Quite Interesting Society
QI - A good rub down.
Malabarista - now with added pony Posted Jul 18, 2009
But as far as I know, safety matches were invented by a Swede!
QI - A good rub down.
Taff Agent of kaos Posted Jul 18, 2009
i looked at a map and i think its on the other river
and will bow out at this point
QI - A good rub down.
Clive the flying ostrich: Amateur Polymath | Chief Heretic. Posted Jul 18, 2009
Gt wins! +3
The friction match was indeed invented in Stockton upon Tees.
Explanation and points in a bit...
QI - A good rub down.
Clive the flying ostrich: Amateur Polymath | Chief Heretic. Posted Jul 18, 2009
He's a dark horse, that one 
QI - A good rub down.
Clive the flying ostrich: Amateur Polymath | Chief Heretic. Posted Jul 18, 2009
The match has a long and proud history dating back to 6th century China as so much seems to. However prior to Serendipity coming to County Durham in 1827, all matches from this pedigree required igniting via introduction to a previously established flame or else through some chemical reaction.
The friction match was invented by one John Walker of Stockton, though curiously he didn't appear to do anythign with this invention, which is why his name remains obscure.
The Scot, Sir Isaac Holden believed he was the inventor, but in this he was mistaken.
John Walker was a chemist and history records he was selling his friction matches in boxes of 100. His method was this: He dipped wooden splints in sulphur and tipped them with a paste made from potassium chlorate, sugar and antimony trisulphide. The match was ignited by drawing through a fold of sandpaper.
The first record of a sale is in 1827 but he could well have been making them up to a year earlier. Walker is today credited with inventing the friction match, although his matches contained no phosphorus.
Walker called the matches 'congreves', and would do public demonstrations. Attending one of these was the person to take advantage. So much so that the actual inventor faded into obscurity but the process he'd invented was in fact patented by another man, Samuel Jones, and the matches were sold as 'lucifers'.
The idea of using friction to generate the heat needed to ignite the match has been followed ever since. Much refinement happened subsequent to this including the addition and removal of various types of phosphorous.
Walker's part in this tale was until recently commemorated by a small plaque
http://www.ul.ie/~childsp/CinA/Issue61/Images/TOC25_a.jpg
And - my favourite detail - a statue of a box of matches on a roundabout. However this wonderful tribute was removed when the area in Stockton was pedestrianised.
QI - A good rub down.
gandalfstwin OGGMSTKMBGSUIKWIATA Posted Jul 18, 2009
Point of order, Clive.
In post 45 I mention China and get a klaxon.
First sentence of explanation.........dating back to 6th century China as so much seems to.........
Tad unfair to klaxon me then include it in your explanation, don't you think????
GT
QI - A good rub down.
Clive the flying ostrich: Amateur Polymath | Chief Heretic. Posted Jul 18, 2009
I disagree GT, I had China, Scotland and Germany as klaxons.
The question was about the modern match that is to say the friction match. The matches in China whilst definitely part of the lineage for matches overall occur before this inovation, which was the subject of the puzzle as I saw that they could be demarcated from the friction dynasty post Walker.
As such I felt it was suitable to klaxon it as an obvious answer.
Scotland for the Holden connection, and Germany I chose at random.
Sorry.
QI - A good rub down.
gandalfstwin OGGMSTKMBGSUIKWIATA Posted Jul 18, 2009
GT
(I will get my own back, you know!!!)
QI - A good rub down.
Clive the flying ostrich: Amateur Polymath | Chief Heretic. Posted Jul 18, 2009
I think you'll find you'll pick up points in the American Pie thread.
Key: Complain about this post
QI - A good rub down.
- 101: gandalfstwin OGGMSTKMBGSUIKWIATA (Jul 18, 2009)
- 102: Malabarista - now with added pony (Jul 18, 2009)
- 103: bobstafford (Jul 18, 2009)
- 104: Taff Agent of kaos (Jul 18, 2009)
- 105: Clive the flying ostrich: Amateur Polymath | Chief Heretic. (Jul 18, 2009)
- 106: Taff Agent of kaos (Jul 18, 2009)
- 107: bobstafford (Jul 18, 2009)
- 108: Clive the flying ostrich: Amateur Polymath | Chief Heretic. (Jul 18, 2009)
- 109: gandalfstwin OGGMSTKMBGSUIKWIATA (Jul 18, 2009)
- 110: Clive the flying ostrich: Amateur Polymath | Chief Heretic. (Jul 18, 2009)
- 111: gandalfstwin OGGMSTKMBGSUIKWIATA (Jul 18, 2009)
- 112: Clive the flying ostrich: Amateur Polymath | Chief Heretic. (Jul 18, 2009)
- 113: gandalfstwin OGGMSTKMBGSUIKWIATA (Jul 18, 2009)
- 114: Clive the flying ostrich: Amateur Polymath | Chief Heretic. (Jul 18, 2009)
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