Step back in time to 1970 with a fascinating collection of photographs capturing life across Wolverhampton, the Black Country and Staffordshire.
From industrial workplaces and civic occasions to everyday street scenes and suburban life, these pictures offer a glimpse of the people, places and traditions that shaped the region at the start of a new decade.
Do you remember any of these places or scenes from 1970? Share your memories in the comments - we’d love to hear your stories.
- 21 nostalgic pictures that prove the good old days were anything but dull – see the pictures here
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17. Boxed up and bound for world export markets
Workers assemble and inspect massive wooden shipping crates at the yard of J Hickman & Son (Brierley Hill) Ltd on October 24, 1970. As manufacturing boomed across the West Midlands, specialised packing firms were called upon to crate up everything from heavy industrial machinery to delicate manufactured goods, preparing them for container transport and long sea voyages overseas. The towering stacks of timber crates ready for shipment reflect the sheer scale of global trade flowing directly out of Black Country factories during the post-war era. Do you remember seeing the busy yards and lorry-loads of timber crates heading out from local industrial estates? Did you or a family member work in the packaging, haulage, or export trade around Brierley Hill back in the 1970s? | Express & Star
18. Stepping into the stylish open-plan future of office life
Office workers settle into a state-of-the-art workspace inside St John's House in Wolverhampton on April 10, 1970. Following Collis Radio’s move into the stylish suite of offices late the previous year, the company introduced a contemporary open-plan design featuring office landscaping, potted plants, and curved dividing screens. The modern setup was designed to give staff maximum comfort and privacy without "boxing up" employees into traditional, isolated offices - complete with tea trays, rotary telephones, and stacks of paperwork. Do you remember working in an open-plan office like this during the 1970s? How did the arrival of office "landscaping," room dividers, and morning tea service change the daily routine at your workplace? | Express & Star archive
19. Serving up Christmas cheer despite the holiday turkey rush
Wearing a traditional straw boater hat, white apron, and tie, butcher Roger Denny smiles as he checks a wall of hanging turkeys in Cheslyn Hay on December 21, 1970. Despite regional concerns over outbreaks of fowl pest that year, Roger reassured local customers that their Christmas dinners were safe and ready for the annual festive rush. The festive scene captures the busy, personal touch of neighbourhood butcher shops that were essential to preparing family feasts every December. Do you remember queueing up at your local butcher shop to collect the festive turkey or roast in the lead-up to Christmas? What were your family’s favourite holiday food traditions back in the 1970s? | Express & Star archive
20. Forging giant steel hooks for heavy industry
Standing beside a colossal ramshorn hook that towers almost to his shoulder, managing director S H Tompson demonstrates the sheer scale of heavy forgings produced at J Parkes and Co (Old Hill) Ltd on October 30, 1970. Weighing 14 cwts and standing 5ft 10ins high, the massive hook was engineered to carry a safe working load of 150 tons for a leading crane manufacturer in Cradley Heath. Manufactured as part of the Lunt, Comley and Pitt group, the impressive piece showcases the immense metalworking capability and heavy engineering pride rooted in the heart of Cradley Heath and Old Hill. Do you remember seeing massive industrial components like this being forged or transported through Cradley Heath and Old Hill? Did you or anyone in your family work in the local heavy forging or foundry trades back in the 1970s? | Express & Star archive