Step back in time and discover some wonderful memories from Wolverhampton and the Black Country.
From local pubs and workplaces to schools, celebrations and everyday life, this gallery brings together snapshots from the 1940s through to the turn of the millennium. The pictures are in no particular order, so settle in and enjoy the journey through the decades.
There are plenty of faces, memorable moments and fascinating glimpses of how the region looked and lived over the years - from school days and busy factories to jubilee parades and much-loved local pubs.
Do you recognise anyone or remember any of these places? Take a look through the pictures and share your memories with us.
- Remember these? 47 brilliant pictures of school days across Staffordshire and the Black Country in the 1980s.
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25. Rush hour mayhem on Queen Street as commuter crowds line up for the ride home
It’s 5.30pm on July 1, 1960, and the evening rush is officially in full swing. Dressed in their finest 1960s coats, hats, and suits, a sea of patient commuters snaking down Queen Street in Wolverhampton wait their turn to board the Castlecroft double-decker bus. Overseen by a uniformed inspector on the pavement, this brilliant snapshot captures peak hustle and bustle in the town centre as workers wrapped up the day and headed home for the weekend. Did you ever brave the famous 5:30 rush hour queues on Queen Street after a day at work or shopping in town? | Express & Star archive
26. Taking one for the team as winter playground mischief strikes right on target
Talk about perfect split-second timing! Young Keith Keeling, a pupil from Kate's Hill Primary School in Dudley, gets caught squarely in the crossfire during a chilly walk home in January 1956. The brilliant action snapshot captures the exact moment a direct-hit snowball splatters across the schoolboy's face and flat cap. A timeless image of winter childhood innocence, playful schoolyard rivalries, and the simple, snowy fun that generations of Black Country kids enjoyed on their way home after the final bell. Do you remember embarking on epic snowball fights with your classmates on the walk home from school during a heavy winter freeze? | Express & Star archive
27. Kicking up their heels as caretaking legends trade hospital shifts for high kicks
Dressed to impress in their 1970s best, a fabulous group of Walsall Manor Hospital staff trade ward duty for the dance floor at a lively leaving party in 1975. Showing off some serious high-kicking moves, the fabulous five feature Lillian Punter, Clara Plester, Ada Comley, Patience Till, and Gartina Preece letting their hair down and laughing up a storm. It's a delightfully joyful snapshot celebrating years of dedicated NHS service with a proper dose of classic Black Country fun and friendship! Did you or anyone in your family ever work at Walsall Manor Hospital or attend one of these legendary send-off parties in the 1970s? | Express & Star archive
28. Moulding history by hand as brickmaking veteran proves tough as nails
Pictured covered in clay in August 1947, brick maker Lizzie Pool of Brierley Hill demonstrates the incredible grit that powered local industry. With thirty years of hard-earned experience under her belt, Lizzie spent her days moulding heavy firebricks entirely by hand, turning out an astonishing 600 fourteen-pound bricks every single day! Head wrapped in a protective scarf and apron caked in mud, her remarkable strength and work ethic celebrate the unsung women whose backbreaking labour built the post-war Black Country. Did anyone in your family work in the heavy clay, brickmaking, or firebrick industries around Brierley Hill back in the day? | ©PA