A look back at Wolverhampton and the Black Country in the 1980s, when high streets were busy, local shops were at the heart of everyday life, and familiar landmarks formed part of the rhythm of the week.
From bustling town centres and changing skylines to workplaces, communities and moments of local pride, these images capture a decade of transition, character and everyday stories.
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41. East Park Junior School, Wolverhampton, 1985
Fifty years after the last Sunbeam rolled off the production line, pupils at East Park Junior School helped celebrate Wolverhampton’s proud motoring heritage with a special history display in April 1985. The celebrations also brought together preserved Sunbeam cars and former factory workers, keeping the city's manufacturing story alive for a new generation. Pictured are teacher David Whyley and some of his pupils. | Express & Star archive
42. Aldridge Shopping Precinct, 1986
Aldridge Shopping Precinct in March 1986, where everyday life unfolds in a familiar mid-1980s retail setting. The scene captures Pickfords Travel, Harvest Health Foods, Corbys and Safeway, reflecting the mix of high street names that once defined local shopping trips. A mother pushes her child in a buggy through the precinct, a simple moment of daily life in a busy community space. Do you remember shopping trips like this, with a pushchair and a list in hand? | Express & Star archive
43. Kings Cinema, West Bromwich, 1986
Staff and patrons of Kings Cinema in West Bromwich, December 1986, came together to collect toys and cash for the Charlemont Children’s Centre in Pennyhill Lane, run by Sandwell Council. The scene captures a moment of community generosity at Christmas time, with Gary Stevens and others pictured alongside some of the donated toys destined for children at the centre. Do you remember when local cinemas and businesses regularly played such a big role in community fundraising at Christmas? | Express & Star archive
44. Littleton Street, Walsall, 1986
A building in Littleton Street, Walsall, pictured in 1986, poised to take on a new role in the town’s historic leather trade. At the time, it was being prepared for its transformation into what would later become Walsall Leather Museum, officially opened two years later by the Princess Royal. It’s a reminder of how industrial heritage was being preserved and reimagined for future generations. Do you remember when old workshops and factories were given new life as museums and cultural spaces? | Express & Star archive