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John Walker, a former chemist of 59 High Street, Stockton, holds the distinction of being the inventor of one of the world's greatest advances - the friction match. Walker's recipe was a mixture of potassium chlorate, antimony sulphide and gum and his first matches, called 'friction lights', were first sold in 1827 to a Mr. Hixon, a solicitor in the town. Sadly, Walker did not patent his discovery and made little money from his invention. He died in 1859 at the age of 78 and is buried in Norton Parish Churchyard.
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