From factory floors and football matches to community celebrations and everyday moments, 1979 was a year of change, ambition and memories across Wolverhampton.
Our archive takes a look back at a town shaped by its proud industrial roots, with workers at firms including Guy Motors, Brockhouse Castings and Chubb keeping long-standing traditions alive, while new factories and developments pointed towards the future.
It was also a year when communities came together - from fundraising for new facilities and supporting local churches to campaigning for better spaces and celebrating milestones. There were weddings, Christmas parties, carnival processions and familiar faces from streets and workplaces across the city.
These photographs capture Wolverhampton at a crossroads: a place where old industries were changing, new ideas were taking shape, and everyday life continued to create lasting memories.
How many places, faces or moments from 1979 do you remember? Share your memories with us as you look through this nostalgic gallery.
Revisit Wolverhampton in 1983 here.
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37. A new chapter for Cranmer Methodist Church
February 1979 marked a special milestone for Cranmer Methodist Church in Newhampton Road West, Wolverhampton, as the doors of the new church were unlocked for the first time by Edward Harris-Jones. Also pictured are Mrs Rosemary Dale, the Reverend Douglas Field, Dennis Wickstead and the Reverend Alan Bowers of the Wolverhampton Trinity Circuit, with Reverend Donald English also involved in the celebrations. Do you remember the opening of the new church, or the role it played in bringing the local community together? | Express & Star archive
38. A final look inside Cranmer Methodist Church
This January 1979 photograph offers a last glimpse inside the old Cranmer Methodist Church in Newhampton Road West, Wolverhampton, before the building was demolished and replaced by a new chapter for the congregation. The empty interior captures a moment of transition, as familiar surroundings made way for change. Do you remember worshipping here, attending events at the church, or seeing buildings in Wolverhampton make way for something new? | Express & Star archive
39. A new factory takes shape on Stafford Road
This July 1979 photograph shows the newly built factory for Toolrite Limited on Stafford Road, Wolverhampton. The modern premises reflected a period of continued investment in the city’s manufacturing industry, as local firms expanded and created new workplaces. Do you remember seeing this factory being built, or the businesses that once lined Stafford Road? | Express & Star archive
40. A new division opens its doors
Ward Brothers (Wolverhampton) Limited marked the official opening of its new Building Services Division in December 1979, with the main entrance on Tempest Street. The heating and plumbing supplies firm’s expansion reflected the growth of local businesses and the changing face of Wolverhampton’s commercial areas. Do you remember visiting Ward Brothers, or the shops and firms that once made up the city’s busy streets? | Express & Star archive