From royal visits and Silver Jubilee celebrations to factory floors and everyday moments, these photographs offer a fascinating glimpse of life across the Black Country and Staffordshire in 1977.
It was a year of big occasions and ordinary routines, with plenty of characters and stories captured along the way. We’ve delved into the archives to bring you a collection of pictures that show how much has changed - and how much remains familiar.
Some scenes may bring back memories of places you knew, people you remember or jobs you once did, while others offer a glimpse into a world that has almost disappeared. Take a look through the gallery and see which pictures spark a memory.
Do you recognise anyone? Where were you in 1977? And what do you remember most about the year? Share your memories in the comments.
Take a look back at 1990 in our previous gallery here.
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45. Music for a Jubilee appeal
The Staffordshire Regiment Band played on despite the rain in Levett’s Square, Lichfield, in August 1977, as part of a Jubilee appeal organised by the men of Whittington Barracks. The weather clearly did little to dampen the occasion as the musicians performed for the crowds. Do you remember outdoor concerts or bands playing in your town? Did you ever stand and watch despite the rain? | Express & Star archive
46. The man who discovered he was officially dead
Arthur Price, a 55-year-old man from Walsall, was in for quite a surprise in August 1977 when a Department of Health and Social Security official arrived at his home asking for his death certificate. Mr Price quickly pointed out the rather obvious problem - he was still very much alive. His invalidity pension book had reportedly been sent to the office marked “deceased”, and the official had been visiting to help his supposed widow with any claims arising from his death. Mr Price was due an official apology. Can you imagine the shock of being told you were officially dead? Have you ever had a mix-up with official paperwork that was almost as bizarre? | Express & Star archive
47. A mill still turning in 1977
Walk Mill near Eccleshall, built in 1792, was still being used to grind corn when this photograph was taken in April 1977. The 18th-century building had suffered damage when a beech tree fell during storms the previous January, with repairs to the machinery and brickwork expected to cost around £10,000. Miller Edmund Howell rented the mill from the Sugnall Hall Estate and delivered corn around the Eccleshall area. It is fascinating to think that a mill built almost 200 years earlier was still part of everyday working life in 1977. Do you remember Walk Mill when it was still working? Did you ever see the miller making his deliveries? | Express & Star archive
48. A glimpse of the traffic system of the future
A tall pole carrying a television camera was installed at the Darlington Street roundabout in January 1977 as part of Wolverhampton’s new computerised traffic control system. The camera was linked to a system designed to help manage traffic through 82 sets of traffic lights across the town, offering a glimpse of how technology was beginning to change the way roads were controlled. The Attwood building can be seen in the background, firmly placing the scene in late-1970s Wolverhampton. Do you remember when traffic lights first became computer-controlled? Can you imagine what people made of this new technology at the time? | Express & Star archive