1897 - established when the original company of Johnson Brothers added games to its stationery range under the management of Joseph and Alfred Johnson.

1920 - company renamed The Chad Valley Co.Ltd and another factory, the Wrekin Toy Works was opened in Wellington, Shropshire. A Royal Warrant was received in 1938. The company went through a period of expansion acquiring companies such as H G Stone, maker of Chiltern toys, but was then itself taken over by Palitoy in 1978. The Woolworths company then bought the Chad Valley trademark in 1988.