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James Lever & Sons
Discover our journey through the years
1850 - 1880s
1856 – Humble Beginnings in Bolton
James Lever, a near penniless rope worker, begins twisting rope in a derelict brick field using waste yarns discarded by cotton mills. He repurposes them into sturdy driving ropes, which he then sells back to the mills as driving ropes — a remarkable piece of Victorian business ingenuity that sparks a legacy still going strong today.
1857 - The Indian Mutiny
1860s – Builds Crown Rope Works at Delph Street
Through hard work and growing demand, James builds Crown Rope Works on the same site at Delph Street — marking the shift from cottage-scale production to a fully established ropeworks.
1876 - Alexender Graham Bell patents the telephone
1880 – Thomas Edison Patents the Electric light bulb
1880 & 1881 - First Boer War
Late 1800s – A Family Tradition Begins
In the late 1800s, James is joined by his son William, who helps steer the company into the 20th century. William has two sons — James, his eldest, and Thomas Cort.
1890 - 1970s
1899-1902 - Second Boer War
1901 – Death of Queen Victoria
1914 – Outbreak of World War One
1916 – Wartime Loss and Leadership
James, William’s eldest, is killed at Verdun in WWI. His brother Thomas Cort, wounded at the Somme, returns home to join his father in the business.
1918 – End of World War Two
1920s – Diversify or Die
With the global depression crippling the cotton industry, demand for driving bands collapses. The company faces a stark choice: diversify or die — and enters the general cordage market, producing sash cords, pulley lines, and utility twines.
1929 – The Wall Street Crash
1930s – Innovation Through Adversity
As part of Lever’s move into general cordage, William and Thomas pioneer two key innovations: - Endless cords for cord operated window mechanisms. - The Everlasto weatherproof sash cord, waxed for use in sash windows, pulleys, flagpoles, clotheslines and in damp conditions. Crown Rope Works is renamed Everlasto Cordage Works, reflecting the rise of the Everlasto brand which would become the UK’s leading cordage brand, with Everlasto sash cords still specified by architects today.
1936 – First practical television is demonstrated by the BBC.
1939 – Start of Word War Two
1940s – Supplying a Nation
During WWII, James Lever & Sons becomes a contractor to HM War Office, supplying ropes and cords for the war effort. Post-war, the business supports national rebuilding through robust cordage for agriculture, trade, and domestic use.
1945 – End of World War Two
1950s – Expansion and Consolidation
Quick to adopt post-war material advances, Levers experiments with PVC and nylon, and after years of painstaking research, the plastic clothesline is born. In 1953, James Lever, son of Thomas Cort, joins his father in the business — continuing a tradition of hands-on family stewardship. By the late 1950s, Levers employs over 300 people across three factories, each producing different products. In 1958, Thomas Cort Lever buys Orient Mill on Brandwood Street, consolidating operations in the former weaving shed.
1952 – Queen Elizabeth II ascends to the throne.
1955 – Star of the Vietnam War
1960s – The Birth of the Orient Line
Building on the success of PVC clothes lines, the 'Orient Line' is launched — a translucent PVC clothesline with a cabled core, available in five eye-catching colours of the Orient, inspired by the mill it was made in. A premium product from the start, it remains the UK’s leading clothesline today.
1966 – England wins the 1966 World Cup
1969 -Man lands on the moon
1970s – Expansion into Poly Ropes
In 1973, James Lever becomes MD, ushering in a new era of modernisation. Levers introduces polypropylene ropes and poly twines into the range, expanding into general-purpose and industrial markets.
1973 – UK joins the European Economic Community
1975 – End of the Vietnam War
1980–2000s
1980–2000s – Navigating a Changing Industry
In 1980, James’s son James joins the business as the fifth generation. He becomes MD in 1990, just as the UK enters a deep manufacturing recession. With costs rising and global competition increasing, James helps maintain the company’s position as a trusted supplier across both trade and consumer markets.
1982 – Falklands War
1989 – Fall of the Berlin Wall
1994 – End of Apartheid
2005 – A New Chapter at Everlasto Works
The company relocates from Orient Mill to a smaller, purpose-built site just around the corner at Everlasto Works, Morris Green Business Park. This move supports leaner production and positions the company for modern, flexible operations.
2007 – Apple releases first iPhone
2009 –Global Financial Crisis
2010 - 2020s
2010s – A New Generation & Product Diversification
In 2010, James’s son, also named James, joins the firm as sixth generation, followed soon after by his brother Robert. James becomes MD in 2014, leading a new phase of innovation and growth. The company enters the craft market, with its Beautiful Bakers Twine range becoming one of the largest in the world. It also moves into the leisure and transport sector, adding versatile bungee cords to its offering.
2012 – Solar Power at Everlasto Works
Solar panels are installed at the Morris Green site, making the factory more energy efficient with less reliance on fossil fuels, kickstarting Levers’ long-term investment in sustainability.
2016 -UK votes to leave the European Union
2020 – COVID 19 pandemic disrupts industries and supply chains worldwide.
2021 – Made in Britain Member & Investment in Efficiency
Lever’s joins Made in Britain, reinforcing its commitment to UK-based production. The company also invests in state-of-the-art, energy-efficient machinery and LED lighting throughout as part of its ongoing sustainability drive.
2022- Queen Elizabeth II dies.
2024 – Sustainability, Recognition & Family Legacy
A battery storage system is added to complement solar generation, improving energy efficiency and self-reliance. The ‘Evergreen’ internal focus group is created, committed to sustainability and responsible business practices. James Lever is named Bolton Family Business of the Year, recognised for commitments to sustainability, resilience, and six generations of family ownership.
Today – A Heritage Brand for the Future
Now in its sixth generation, James Lever & Sons continues to produce high-quality ropes, cords, and twines under the Everlasto brand, with one of the largest ranges in the UK. Blending tradition and family values with modern technology, the company remains proudly based in Bolton, tying generations together since 1856.
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