Take a trip back to 1971 and discover Wolverhampton as it looked more than five decades ago.
The town's proud industrial heritage sat alongside ambitious new developments, with the sleek shopping precincts and concrete walkways of the Wulfrun Centre offering a glimpse of modern retail life. Meanwhile, the Victorian grandeur of the Town Hall and the historic Giffard House provided reminders of its rich past. Elsewhere, busy streets were lined with familiar shopfronts and classic British cars, while post-war redevelopment and urban clearance continued around areas such as Molineux.
From well-known landmarks and shopping streets to residential neighbourhoods and everyday scenes, this collection of photographs captures the character and spirit of Wolverhampton in 1971.
Do you have memories of Wolverhampton in 1971? Share your memories in the comments.
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25. A look back at Tettenhall’s Chartwell flats
This photograph from May 1971 shows Chartwell flats on Newbridge Crescent in Tettenhall. The modern-looking brick buildings, with their distinctive dark decorative panels and large windows, are framed by mature trees and neatly kept lawns. Do you remember these flats, perhaps living here or visiting friends and family? | Express & Star archive
26. Concrete canopies along Cleveland Street
Shoppers stroll along the wide, sheltered walkways outside the Cleveland Street entrance to the Wulfrun Centre in November 1971. Beneath the precinct’s bold sculptural facade and historic decorative panel, retail favourites like Wrangler stockist Geoffrey Davis and Sportsco drew in town-centre bargain hunters. Did you ever kit yourself out with gear or clothes from these shops? | Express & Star archive
27. Rallying the parish for a big mission
Leaflets in hand and a street map mounted on an easel, the Rev Roy Wilson, vicar of St Matthew's, gathers helpers and young parishioners in May 1971 to launch an ambitious local campaign. Running under the slogan "Let God In," the mission brought together visiting theology students to tour schools and factories across Wolverhampton, hosting everything from prayer meetings to community barbecues and squash nights. Were you involved with St Matthew's church community when the parish mission arrived that spring? | Express & Star archive
28. Echoes of urban clearance near Molineux
A tangle of overgrown scrub, scrap metal, and discarded rubble blankets the bank overlooking a crumbling row of brick terraces on North Street. Situated close to the Molineux football ground, this derelict stretch became the focus of fierce local campaigns after houses stood abandoned for years, greeting thousands of visiting supporters on matchdays. Do you remember walking past these old terraces on the way to the match back then? | Express & Star archive