Graham Dudley is pictured tending the Bushbury Road graveyard in Heath Town after Holy Trinity Church launched a £10,000 appeal in 1989 to keep him in his job as gravedigger and gardener. The church said he had transformed the large graveyard and feared it would return to an almost derelict state if his post was lost. Do you remember Graham Dudley or the Bushbury Road graveyard as it looked in the 1980s?placeholder image
Graham Dudley is pictured tending the Bushbury Road graveyard in Heath Town after Holy Trinity Church launched a £10,000 appeal in 1989 to keep him in his job as gravedigger and gardener. The church said he had transformed the large graveyard and feared it would return to an almost derelict state if his post was lost. Do you remember Graham Dudley or the Bushbury Road graveyard as it looked in the 1980s? | Express & Star archive

Can you remember 1989? 55 nostalgic pictures from the Black Country and Staffordshire

By Tania Taylor
Published 28th Aug 2026, 02:00 GMT

How the region looked more than 35 years ago

1989 was a year of change, character and plenty of memorable moments across Wolverhampton, the Black Country and Staffordshire.

From busy factories and striking workers to high street scenes, community campaigns, local celebrations and everyday moments, these archive pictures offer a glimpse of how the region looked more than 35 years ago.

There are familiar faces, places that have changed and even a few intriguing mysteries along the way. Take a trip back to 1989 and see how many people, businesses and landmarks you can remember.

  • Missed our gallery of Wolverhampton in 1980? See the pictures here.
  • You can enjoy this and more with our weekly FREE Nostalgia Newsletter - with scores of archive pictures and exclusive features on the history of Wolverhampton, Staffordshire and the Black Country - all sent to your inbox every week. Sign up here.
The Mayoress of Walsall, Councillor Doreen Farrell, gets a lift from ambulance staff Rob Perkins and Rodger Gluning during the launch of the ambulance service in January 1989. Also pictured is her husband, Councillor and Mayor Raymond Farrell. Do you remember the ambulance service when it first launched, or recognise any of these familiar faces?

53. A new chapter for Walsall's ambulance service

The Mayoress of Walsall, Councillor Doreen Farrell, gets a lift from ambulance staff Rob Perkins and Rodger Gluning during the launch of the ambulance service in January 1989. Also pictured is her husband, Councillor and Mayor Raymond Farrell. Do you remember the ambulance service when it first launched, or recognise any of these familiar faces? | Express & Star archive

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People of all ages, including children, gather outside Walsall Town Hall in July 1989 to protest against Leigh Interests' waste disposal plant in Aldridge. The demonstration came after Walsall Council rejected calls, led by Councillor Derek Roddy, to revoke the site's licences. Do you remember these protests, or the campaign over the Aldridge waste plant?

54. Families take their protest to Walsall Town Hall

People of all ages, including children, gather outside Walsall Town Hall in July 1989 to protest against Leigh Interests' waste disposal plant in Aldridge. The demonstration came after Walsall Council rejected calls, led by Councillor Derek Roddy, to revoke the site's licences. Do you remember these protests, or the campaign over the Aldridge waste plant? | Express & Star archive

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Young Scott Titley takes in the artwork at an amateur artists' exhibition organised to raise money for the Staffordshire Ambulance Service's Heart-Start appeal in Chadsmoor, Cannock, in October 1989. The event combined local creativity with fundraising for a cause that could help save lives. Do you remember the Heart-Start appeal, or visiting this exhibition?

55. Young art lover supports a life-saving appeal

Young Scott Titley takes in the artwork at an amateur artists' exhibition organised to raise money for the Staffordshire Ambulance Service's Heart-Start appeal in Chadsmoor, Cannock, in October 1989. The event combined local creativity with fundraising for a cause that could help save lives. Do you remember the Heart-Start appeal, or visiting this exhibition? | Express & Star archive

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