1947: James Dyson is born to academic parents against what he describes as a "middle class and not particularly wealthy background in the backwater of north Norfolk."

1965: Leaves Gresham's school in Holt, Norfolk with eight O levels and three A-levels.

1970: Graduates from the Royal College of Art after studying furniture and interior design for four years.

1974: Develops the Ballbarrow and designs a water filled plastic garden roller, the Waterolla.

1977: The Ballbarrow wins the Building Design Innovation Award.

1978: Stumbles upon the idea of a bagless cleaner while renovating his country house in the Cotswolds

1979: Sells his shares in the Ballbarrow for £10,000 to support himself during the first year developing a new vacuum cleaner. Builds 5,127 prototypes of the Dual Cyclone.

1983: Produces the G-Force, his first prototype vacuum cleaner. Travels to the UK and Europe looking for someone to license the vacuum cleaner. The multinationals are reluctant to invest as it would destroy the bag replacement market, worth £100m a year.

1985: Licenses a US company. The licence is terminated later that year.

1986: Japanese start to sell the G-Force vacuum cleaner.

1991: G-Force becomes a status symbol in Japan and sells for up to $2,000.

1992: Japanese, American and Canadian royalties enable Dyson to set up within the UK.

1993: Opens his own research centre and factory at Bumpers Farm, Chippenham. Launches Dyson DC01 in May, retailing at about £200. DC01 has become the best selling vacuum cleaner ever. Now outsells nearest competitor by nine to one.

1995: The Dyson Dual Cyclone DC01 becomes the best selling vacuum cleaner in the UK. In March the Dyson Dual Cyclone DC02 is launched. Moves from Chippenham to a larger factory in Malmesbury in August.

1996: The Dyson DC02 Absolute is launched in September the first vacuum cleaner with both High Efficiency Particulate Air filters and a bacteria-killing screen.

1997: Dyson is the first British company to win a European design award. Autobiography Against the Odds published.

1998: Awarded CBE in the New Year's Honours list. Launch of Dyson Dual Cyclone DC03 in January. The DC03 selected as one of the first Millennium Products in April. Launch of the Dual Cyclone DC05 in November.

1998: Chancellor Gordon Brown officially opens the R&D centre in Malmesbury.

2000: DC04 Zorbster is launched in July the first Dual Cyclone integrated carpet cleaning system. The Contrarotator is launched in November, the world's first washing machine with two rotating drums.

2001: The Root Cyclone technology DC07 vacuum cleaner is launched with 45 per cent more suction than the Dual Cyclone vacuum cleaners.

2002: In January Dyson announces vacuum cleaner production will be transferred from Malmesbury to Malaysia. Last vacuum cleaner produced at Malmesbury in September.