A monument at Pierson, in the Municipality of Two Borders, commemorates the inventor of the paint roller, Norman James Breakey (1891-1965). Born to local residents William and Jane Breakey, after serving in the First World War, he moved to Toronto, Ontario and managed a hardware store. He made a prototype of a paint roller with a handle shaped like a number 7 that would hold a cardboard fabric-covered cylinder. After some alterations, he started to sell his invention locally. However, he either did not patent his invention or was not able to produce and sell enough to protect the patent. Other manufacturers capitalized on Breakey's idea and produced their own versions.
Breakey Monument (September 2021)
Source: Rose KuzinaSite Coordinates (lat/long): N49.17794, W101.26672
denoted by symbol on the map above
“The inventor from Pierson,” Vantage Points, Volume 4, page 49.
This page was prepared by Rose Kuzina.
Page revised: 12 March 2022
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