James Mayor; a woodcutter from the village of Eccleston in the county of Lancashire purchased the land and buildings known as the Malt Kilns at New Lane Head, Ulnes Walton, and Nr. Leyland. Around the turn of the century, that was the
1800’s not the 1900’s.

Prior to the purchase of the site in Ulnes Walton, James Mayor traded as timber merchants and also employed wheelwrights and blacksmiths. The machinery they had at the time was powered by a water wheel, which was situated on a tributary from the river Yarrow at Shaw Green Nr. Euxton. They felled all the lumber they required on the local estates. All the lumber was transported by Shire Horses and at that time they had over twenty working Shire Horses. The lumber was brought to the sawmill and converted into planks and then made into cotton bobbins for the spinning industry, they also turned bungs for beer barrels for Magee’s Ales.

James Mayor had sons who worked in the business and a Mr John Henry Mayor was the eventual owner. The business was made a limited company in 1939. Mr John Henry Mayor had five sons who all worked in the business which continued to progress during that time.

Mr James Robert Mayor purchased all the shares and brought the company back to a single-family ownership. Mr Robert
Mayor had one son who followed him into the business and he continued with the traditions of quality and service.
Mr Henry Mayor’s four sons followed into the business and a steady growth has been maintained up to the present date