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.
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29. A decisive vote to get the town moving again
Bus crews gather at Walsall Bus Depot in March 1962, raising a sea of hands to vote in favour of returning to work following industrial action. Addressing the crowd from the platform are Transport and General Workers Union district organiser Mr H Fullelove, branch chairman Mr F Martin, and branch secretary Mr F Lunt. The mass meeting brought a swift resolution to the dispute, ensuring Walsall’s iconic blue-and-yellow buses were back on the roads to serve local commuters the very next morning. Do you remember relying on the buses around Walsall or catching the news of the depot vote back in 1962? | Express & Star archive
30. Crafting cabs for world markets in Brownhills
Workmen carefully assemble a heavy-duty tractor cab unit at Cab Craft Ltd in Brownhills during August 1965. Formed just eight months prior under director Mr D. T. A. Thomas, the pioneering firm specialized in designing and manufacturing protective cabs for tractors, earthmovers, and industrial machinery. Exporting 40 per cent of its output overseas, Cab Craft became the very first West Midlands business to sign up to the 'Enterprise Atlantic' trade scheme, aimed at introducing local engineering craftsmanship to transatlantic markets. Were you involved in the local engineering trade in Brownhills, or do you remember the rise of small manufacturing firms across the borough? | Express & Star archive
31. Saved from the wrecking ball
Standing dusted in snow during March 1962, Dale House on Bilston Street, Willenhall, faced a very uncertain future as plans emerged to tear down the historic 18th-century property. A discount trader had hoped to flatten the handsome Georgian building - a rare survivor in the industrial heartland - to make way for a modern store development. Fortunately, the demolition scheme never went ahead, and this proud piece of local architectural heritage lives on today as a popular restaurant. Do you remember when Dale House was under threat, or have you dined inside this historic building in more recent years? | Express & Star archive
32. Sprucing up Bradford Street
Fresh flower tubs, new street lighting, and a circular wooden bench take centre stage along Bradford Street in Walsall during September 1963. The smartened-up thoroughfare is pictured on the very day a major civic facelift scheme was officially launched to brighten up the town centre. Showcasing bustling storefronts like James & Bentley Electrical Ltd alongside classic saloons parked along the kerb, the photograph captures a proud moment of urban renewal for local shoppers and traders. Do you remember browsing the shops along Bradford Street after the new street furniture was installed? | Express & Star archive