| 1917 | 26 August | Rodney Smith born |
| 1918 | 6 March | Leslie Charles Smith born |
| 1920 | 19 March | John William Odell (Jack) Born |
| 1947 | 19 January | Lesney Products formed |
| 1949 | 9 March | Registered as a private company selling toys and diecasting |
| 1949 | Left The Rifleman and moved to Shacklewell Lane | |
| 1951 | Ban on zinc for making toys | |
| 1951 | Rodney Smith left the company | |
| 1953 | Coronation Coach produced | |
| 1953 | First four "Matchbox" miniatures produced | |
| 1954 | Leslie Smith came to work for Lesney products full time | |
| 1955 | Purchased factory at 38 Barrett's Grove | |
| 1956 | Yesteryear range introduced | |
| 1959 | Lesney bought out Richard Kohnstam and Matchbox name | |
| 1960 | September | Lesney went public |
| 1966 | Awarded Queen's award for industry | |
| 1967 | June | Building of new factory started at Edmonton |
| 1968 | Leslie Smith and Jack Odell awarded O.B.E. | |
| 1968 | Lesney awarded second Queen's award for industry | |
| 1969 | Awarded further Queen's award for industry | |
| 1969 | Factory opened in Rochford, Essex. | |
| 1969 | Lesney launched superfast range | |
| 1973 | Jack Odell resigned. | |
| 1973 | Production suspended due to power cuts. |
