From workplace disputes and new technology to community projects, local campaigns and unforgettable moments on the high street, these photographs capture the people, places and stories that shaped the Black Country and Staffordshire in 1990.
It was a year of change and debate, with residents taking to the streets over the Poll Tax, businesses investing for the future, and communities coming together to raise money, celebrate achievements and protect the things that mattered to them.
From Walsall and Wolverhampton to Cannock, Dudley and beyond, this collection offers a fascinating snapshot of everyday life - the familiar faces, local landmarks and events that many will remember.
Take a look through the gallery and see which memories come flooding back. Do you recognise anyone or have your own memories of these places and events? Share them in the comments.
Take a trip back to Brierley Hill in the 1980s and explore our nostalgic gallery here.
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5. The Bloxwich couple caught up in the Poll Tax confusion
Stan Wood and his wife Margaret are pictured outside The Knave of Hearts on Lichfield Road, Bloxwich, in April 1990, the pub they ran together. The couple found themselves caught up in a dispute over the newly introduced Poll Tax after being charged double by Walsall Council when their retirement home was classed as unoccupied. Their experience reflected the confusion and frustration felt by many residents as the new Community Charge system was introduced across the country. Do you remember the Poll Tax disputes that affected people in your area? | Express & Star archive
6. The start of Wolverhampton’s new police station
Councillor Mick Ablett, of the West Midlands Police Authority, is pictured turning the first sod as work begins on Wolverhampton's new police station in Tower Street in April 1990. The development would replace the former Dunstall Road headquarters, marking a significant investment in the city's policing. In the background are the Express & Star offices and the Birmingham Midshires Building Society, offering a fascinating snapshot of Wolverhampton at the time. The photograph captures a city changing before our eyes. Do you remember this part of Wolverhampton before the new police station was built? | Express & Star archive
7. The Wolverhampton street scene about to disappear
Tower Street, Wolverhampton, is pictured in April 1990 as buildings are cleared to make way for a new police headquarters. The familiar city centre backdrop includes Littlewoods, Birmingham Midshires Building Society and Marks & Spencer, capturing a moment before a well-known part of Wolverhampton began to change. The photograph offers a fascinating glimpse of a high street that many shoppers and workers from the era will remember. Do you remember visiting Tower Street before this transformation? | Express & Star archive
8. When supermarket trolleys ended up far from the shops
An unidentified man is pictured beside several supermarket trolleys which had been dumped on a footpath in Sandwell in January 1990. The unusual scene captures a problem that was once familiar in many communities, with abandoned trolleys often turning up in streets, parks and walkways far from where they belonged. Do you remember seeing supermarket trolleys abandoned around your neighbourhood? | Express & Star archive