Walker's Friction Match John Walker, a chemist from Stockton-on-Tees, invented his "Friction Lights" in 1826, but although his friends urged him to do so, he refused to patent them on grounds that the idea was not sufficiently important. They were sold in round tin containers for 1/2d. per hundred. The earliest lights had cardboard stems, but he quickly improved them by using slivers instead. They were ignited by placing the head of the light between a folded piece of sandpaper, then sharply withdrawing it. As Walker had not patented his friction lights it meant that anyone could make them, and that is what soon happened..