Step back in time with a nostalgic look at everyday life, local industry and community spirit across Walsall and the surrounding area between 1960 and 1965.
From high streets and historic landmarks to factory floors, royal visits and familiar faces, these photographs capture a changing Black Country at the start of the 1960s.
Featuring scenes from Aldridge, Bloxwich, Darlaston and Brownhills to many other places across the area, the collection offers a fascinating glimpse of places and moments that have since disappeared or changed beyond recognition.
Take a trip down memory lane, see how many familiar faces and places you can spot, and share your memories in the comments.
- Travel back to Wolverhampton in 1969 with these 61 pictures, guaranteed to bring back memories. View them here.
- You can enjoy this and more with our weekly FREE Nostalgia Newsletter - with scores of archive pictures and exclusive features on the history of Wolverhampton, Staffordshire and the Black Country - all sent to your inbox every week. Sign up here.
9. A drama behind the goal lines at Fellows Park
St John Ambulance attendants and a trainer rush to assist an injured player seated behind the goal netting during a match at Walsall FC's former home, Fellows Park. Packed terraces look on in suspense as first aid is administered right on the touchline, framed by classic advertising hoardings promoting local Walsall businesses like Self Drive Hire. Action-packed moments like this captured the raw, intimate atmosphere of lower-league football, where supporters stood just yards away from the pitch and touchline medical care was far more straightforward than today. Does this scene bring back memories of cheer and tension on the terraces at Fellows Park? | Express & Star archive
10. A Walsall editor sees the future of news
Mr W. J. Webb (far left), editor of the Walsall Observer, joins fellow regional newsmen to inspect revolutionary printing technology on December 7, 1964. Visiting the newly opened Shropshire Star office at Ketley, the delegation watched an operator use an A.T.F. keyboard to produce tape for photo units—a key step in pioneering web offset evening newspaper production. Representing Walsall's long-running local paper, Mr Webb looked on as modern electronic typesetting began to transform traditional hot-metal print rooms across the West Midlands. Did you use to buy a weekly paper every Friday to check the local headlines and sport? | Express & Star archive
11. Tragedy and ruin at Caldmore church
Firefighters survey the charred interior and collapsed roof timbers of St Michael and All Angels Church in Caldmore following a devastating blaze on June 6, 1964. Remarkably, amidst the blackened rubble and scorched stone arches, the ornate metal rood screen and crucifix remained standing at the chancel step. The sudden destruction of the cherished Victorian parish church sent shockwaves through the local community, serving as a heartbreaking moment in Caldmore's history before rebuilding efforts could eventually take shape. Do you remember the night the parish church was lost to the flames, or the community effort to rebuild afterwards? | Express & Star archive
12. Battling the blaze in the parish ruins
A lone firefighter directs a high-pressure jet of water into the smoking, charred interior of St Michael and All Angels Church in 1964. Surrounded by fallen timber beams, scorched stonework, and peeling wall stencils, emergency crews worked tirelessly to douse remaining hotspots after a fierce blaze swept through the Victorian place of worship. The tragic destruction deeply shocked the Caldmore community, leaving a stark scene of ruin inside one of Walsall's most familiar parish landmarks. Do you remember seeing the emergency services at the scene on the day of the fire? | Express & Star archive