A Conversation for The Quite Interesting Society

QI - A good rub down.

Post 101

gandalfstwin OGGMSTKMBGSUIKWIATA

Stockton on Tees


smiley - wizard
GT


QI - A good rub down.

Post 102

Malabarista - now with added pony

But as far as I know, safety matches were invented by a Swede!


QI - A good rub down.

Post 103

bobstafford

U=upon smiley - smiley


QI - A good rub down.

Post 104

Taff Agent of kaos


i looked at a map and i think its on the other river

and will bow out at this point

smiley - bat


QI - A good rub down.

Post 105

Clive the flying ostrich: Amateur Polymath | Chief Heretic.

Gt wins! +3

The friction match was indeed invented in Stockton upon Tees.

Explanation and points in a bit...


QI - A good rub down.

Post 106

Taff Agent of kaos

smiley - simpostsmiley - dohsmiley - huh

smiley - bat


QI - A good rub down.

Post 107

bobstafford

Strewth GT we will have to keep an eye on you smiley - applausesmiley - laugh


QI - A good rub down.

Post 108

Clive the flying ostrich: Amateur Polymath | Chief Heretic.

He's a dark horse, that one smiley - winkeye


QI - A good rub down.

Post 109

gandalfstwin OGGMSTKMBGSUIKWIATA

smiley - winkeyesmiley - coolsmiley - ok



smiley - biggrin
smiley - wizard
GT


QI - A good rub down.

Post 110

Clive the flying ostrich: Amateur Polymath | Chief Heretic.

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.


smiley - bus


QI - A good rub down.

Post 111

gandalfstwin OGGMSTKMBGSUIKWIATA

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????


smiley - wizard
GT


QI - A good rub down.

Post 112

Clive the flying ostrich: Amateur Polymath | Chief Heretic.

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.

Post 113

gandalfstwin OGGMSTKMBGSUIKWIATA

smiley - oksmiley - sadface



smiley - smiley
smiley - wizard
GT


(I will get my own back, you know!!!)


QI - A good rub down.

Post 114

Clive the flying ostrich: Amateur Polymath | Chief Heretic.

I think you'll find you'll pick up points in the American Pie thread. smiley - winkeye


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