Frederick Walton (1822-1890) of Frederick Walton and Co
1822 Born the son of Benjamin Walton, a Japanner and his wife Maria.
1851 Married at Westminster to Jane Forsyth.
Walton was interested in the manufacture of Kamptulicon - a floor covering then in use made of cork and india-rubber.
The increasing cost of rubber in the first half of the 19th century led Mr. Walton to find a substitute. Noting the skin formed on the surface of a pot of paint, he found that this skin had many of the qualities necessary to enable it to take the place of rubber, and set to work to devise means for producing such a skin in quantities appropriate to the manufacture of floor covering. His experiments were eminently successful.[1]
1857 'Frederick Walton, for it was he who in the year 1857 invented oxidised oil, a product which is simply linseed oil solidified by oxidation and which is an excellent and cheap substitute for india-rubber'.[2]
1861 Living at St. Cuthbert's Hall, Albrington, Salop: Frederick Walton (age 39 born Tettenhall), (?) and Paper Goods employing 400 hands. With his wife Jane, three sons and one daughter.[3]
1862 Paper read to the Society of Arts by Frederick Walton "On the Introduction and Use of Elastic Gums and Analogous Substances"[4]
1863 The first patent for linoleum was granted to Frederick Walton.[5] "Campticon", an invention of Mr. Frederick Walton...All the qualities of india-rubber but produced at a reduced cost. (Includes much longer description of the process).[6]
Linseed oil took the place of rubber and in the process gave its name to linoleum. [7]
1871 Living at St. Cuthbert's, Albrington, Salop: Frederick Walton (age 49 born Tettenhall), J.P., Landowner and Hardware Manufacturer employing at Wolverhampton 139 men, 48 women, 70 boys and 12 girls. With his wife Jane and their daughter.[8]