Spectators and air cadets watch from the grass as a massive RAF Transport Command Blackburn Beverley C.1 lumbers low overhead during the annual air display at Pendeford airfield in June 1963. Disaster was narrowly averted when the four-engine heavyweight overshot its approach and skimmed perilously close to the airfield’s boundary hedge, passing mere feet above parked light aircraft and stunned onlookers. Along with a roaring flypast from a Vulcan bomber, the breathtaking incident provided unexpected drama on what proved to be an unforgettable afternoon of aviation thrills. Were you in the crowd watching the displays at Pendeford when the Beverley made its heart-in-mouth pass in the summer of 1963?placeholder image
Spectators and air cadets watch from the grass as a massive RAF Transport Command Blackburn Beverley C.1 lumbers low overhead during the annual air display at Pendeford airfield in June 1963. Disaster was narrowly averted when the four-engine heavyweight overshot its approach and skimmed perilously close to the airfield’s boundary hedge, passing mere feet above parked light aircraft and stunned onlookers. Along with a roaring flypast from a Vulcan bomber, the breathtaking incident provided unexpected drama on what proved to be an unforgettable afternoon of aviation thrills. Were you in the crowd watching the displays at Pendeford when the Beverley made its heart-in-mouth pass in the summer of 1963? | Express & Star archive

Take a look back at Wolverhampton in 1963 in 27 pictures

By Tania Taylor
Published 2nd Nov 2026, 03:00 GMT
Updated 3rd Nov 2026, 02:01 GMT

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See how Wolverhampton looked more than 60 years ago

Take a trip back to 1963 and discover life in Wolverhampton more than 60 years ago. It was a year of big crowds and big moments, from Beatlemania bringing screaming fans to the Gaumont to aircraft making dramatic appearances at Pendeford airfield.

The town’s industrial roots remained strong, with busy factory floors at John Thompson, Sunbeam and Goodyear, while elsewhere nurses went about their daily work at the Royal Hospital and football fans filled the terraces at Molineux.

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These 1963 photographs capture a changing Wolverhampton, from familiar streets and workplaces to the people and everyday moments that made the town what it was.

What memories do these pictures bring back for you? Share them in the comments.

Drawing back the curtain to reveal a carved oak plaque in March 1963, Wolverhampton Mayor Alderman M P Birch and Wolves chairman Mr J Marshall admire the craftsmanship inside the stadium boardroom. The permanent memorial commemorated Queen Elizabeth II's historic visit to the Molineux ground on 24 May 1962, when Her Majesty presented colours and a guidon to local Staffordshire regiments. Adorned with a portrait of the Queen alongside civic and regimental crests, the wooden tribute stood as a lasting reminder of one of the stadium’s most memorable ceremonial occasions. Were you among the crowds at Molineux to see the Queen in May 1962, or do you remember this plaque hanging in the boardroom?

21. Commemorating the royal visit to Molineux

Drawing back the curtain to reveal a carved oak plaque in March 1963, Wolverhampton Mayor Alderman M P Birch and Wolves chairman Mr J Marshall admire the craftsmanship inside the stadium boardroom. The permanent memorial commemorated Queen Elizabeth II's historic visit to the Molineux ground on 24 May 1962, when Her Majesty presented colours and a guidon to local Staffordshire regiments. Adorned with a portrait of the Queen alongside civic and regimental crests, the wooden tribute stood as a lasting reminder of one of the stadium’s most memorable ceremonial occasions. Were you among the crowds at Molineux to see the Queen in May 1962, or do you remember this plaque hanging in the boardroom? | Express & Star archive

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Standing proudly at the entrance doors with St Peter’s Collegiate Church framed across the square, attendant Mr T Chater models a sharp new uniform in May 1963. Debut-ready for a prestigious Rotary Ball, the venue's five attendants traded their traditional black and dark navy suits for striking maroon liveries adorned with gold braid along the lapels and cuffs. The colourful overhaul was designed to help visitors easily spot venue staff amid the bustling crowds gathering inside the lively Civic Hall foyer. Do you remember the smart attendants welcoming you through the doors for big dances and shows at the Civic Hall back in the 1960s?

22. A smart new look for attendants at the Civic Hall

Standing proudly at the entrance doors with St Peter’s Collegiate Church framed across the square, attendant Mr T Chater models a sharp new uniform in May 1963. Debut-ready for a prestigious Rotary Ball, the venue's five attendants traded their traditional black and dark navy suits for striking maroon liveries adorned with gold braid along the lapels and cuffs. The colourful overhaul was designed to help visitors easily spot venue staff amid the bustling crowds gathering inside the lively Civic Hall foyer. Do you remember the smart attendants welcoming you through the doors for big dances and shows at the Civic Hall back in the 1960s? | Express & Star archive

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Stretching into a dynamic stride as he drives the ball forward, Wolves stalwart Ron Flowers commands the pitch in international action on 16 February 1963. Sported in the iconic Three Lions strip, the powerful and composed wing-half was at the peak of his career, providing tireless energy, formidable passing range, and rock-solid reliability for both club and country. A true Molineux legend who won three league championships and an FA Cup with Wolves before playing an integral part in England's 1966 World Cup squad, Flowers epitomised the very highest level of sporting class. What are your fondest memories of watching Ron Flowers orchestrate play from the middle of the park?

23. Midfield maestro Ron Flowers in full flight for England

Stretching into a dynamic stride as he drives the ball forward, Wolves stalwart Ron Flowers commands the pitch in international action on 16 February 1963. Sported in the iconic Three Lions strip, the powerful and composed wing-half was at the peak of his career, providing tireless energy, formidable passing range, and rock-solid reliability for both club and country. A true Molineux legend who won three league championships and an FA Cup with Wolves before playing an integral part in England's 1966 World Cup squad, Flowers epitomised the very highest level of sporting class. What are your fondest memories of watching Ron Flowers orchestrate play from the middle of the park? | ©PA

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Lined with neatly clipped privet hedges and low brick walls, a long, rhythmic terrace of red-brick homes stretches into the distance down Woden Road in May 1963. A lone Vauxhall Victor rests at the kerbside, epitomising the peaceful, close-knit residential streets that defined Heath Town before extensive post-war redevelopment reshaped much of the surrounding neighbourhood. With sash windows, decorative bay fronts, and proud chimney pots stretching to the horizon, the scene captures an evocative slice of everyday working-class community life in the 1960s. Did you live or grow up along Woden Road, or remember visiting family and neighbours here back in the spring of 1963?

24. Spring sunshine along the terraced rows of Woden Road

Lined with neatly clipped privet hedges and low brick walls, a long, rhythmic terrace of red-brick homes stretches into the distance down Woden Road in May 1963. A lone Vauxhall Victor rests at the kerbside, epitomising the peaceful, close-knit residential streets that defined Heath Town before extensive post-war redevelopment reshaped much of the surrounding neighbourhood. With sash windows, decorative bay fronts, and proud chimney pots stretching to the horizon, the scene captures an evocative slice of everyday working-class community life in the 1960s. Did you live or grow up along Woden Road, or remember visiting family and neighbours here back in the spring of 1963? | Express & Star archive

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