Previously matches could only be lighted by striking them on a surface containing phosphorus
With due respect - are you sure about that? I was always under the impression that it was the other way round: the first matches contained (white) phosphorus, and could be lighted on any surface - they often lighted spontaneously and caused poisonings. In the later safety matches, antimony sulfide and potassium chlorate is used, which ignites in contact with the red phosphorus of the matchbox.