Norman Breakey take note Canada he invented the paint roller

Norman Breakey (1891–1965)
On a walk through Toronto’s Mount Pleasant Cemetery, roller brush in hand, I came across the unassuming grave of Norman Breakey—the man who invented the paint roller.

Born in 1891 in Pierson, Manitoba, Breakey served his country in the First World War before settling in Toronto. While managing a hardware store, he devised a way to apply paint faster and more evenly. His solution? A bristly mohair velour-covered cylinder attached to a handle—dip it in paint and roll it on. Simple. Brilliant. Canadian.

Norman began selling his rollers locally, but his idea was quickly copied. Tragically, he never patented his invention, and others capitalized on his work. Though the paint roller revolutionized painting, Norman Breakey never saw the fame or fortune that should have followed.

Captain Norman J. Breakey died in Toronto in 1965, a relatively poor man. He was 75.

1890-1965

Footnote: A section across from Norman’s grave is the guy who invented the plastic garbage bag. Another Canadian invention.