When was the first match made?

Tabby Tom

The New Shell Book of Firsts says: The first friction match was invented in 1826 by John Walker, a chemist of 59 High Street, Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham. The discovery was accidental, as Walker's original intention was to produce a readily combustible material for fowling-pieces.. His first match was a stick which he had been using to stir a mixture of potash and {antimony;} it burst into flame when he scraped it against the stone floor to remove the blob on the end. The earliest recorded purchaser of a box of matches as a Mr Hixon, a Stockton solicitor, and the transaction is entered in Walker's daybook for 7 April 1827. The price was 1s for 100 matches plus 2d for the tine tube in which they were packed. Sep 05 02, 8:35 PM