Step back to the 1970s, when the sound of heavy machinery, the glow of furnaces and the bustle of factory floors were woven into everyday life across Wolverhampton, the Black Country and Staffordshire.
This gallery brings together archive photographs capturing life inside and outside the region’s factories and workplaces. From roaring furnaces and pneumatic hammers at historic toolmakers to quiet, ivy-clad works, purpose-built industrial estates, picket lines and factory closures, these images offer a vivid glimpse of the people, places and working lives of a region at the heart of Britain’s industrial story.
Do you remember these workplaces, or did you or someone in your family work there? Share your memories and stories in the comments.
- Take a look at these 31 pictures capturing the spirit of Wolverhampton and the Black Country.
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17. Marching for their livelihoods and making their voices heard on the streets of Wolverhampton
Placard-wielding Ever Ready workers march through the streets escorted by police officers in February 1979 as nearly 1,200 employees took the afternoon off to discuss the planned closure of their factory. Demonstrators stepped out from the Ever Ready works in Park Lane, Wolverhampton, heading to the Civic Hall for a mass meeting to decide on their course of action following news of impending large-scale redundancies. Under an agreement on "protection of earnings," workers received full pay while management - led by plant manager Kevin O'Leary - met with union officials, including TGWU district secretary Jim Hesom and ASTMS official Bill Holmes. The striking scene captures the spirit and determination of a local workforce uniting to defend their factory's future. | Express & Star archive
18. Coiled steel, vintage vans, and a sudden power shutdown on the factory floor
Large cylindrical steel coils and a classic delivery van sit quietly in the yard of Roberts Brothers (Audnam) Ltd in January 1970 following an abrupt halt to production. District factory inspector E M Wickham secured an order from Dudley magistrates for an immediate power switch-off at the Wordsley plant, located on Audnam, Junction Road, due to faulty electrical equipment posing an imminent danger of serious injury. The sudden shutdown threw more than 200 employees into uncertainty as company chairman H L Preedy met with staff to address growing unemployment fears. Set against a backdrop of local terraced housing on the skyline, the winter scene captures a quiet moment of disruption in the heart of Black Country construction engineering. | Express & Star archive
19. Harnessing seismic forces and pioneering earthquake-proof engineering for global construction
Standing 25 feet high inside the GKN factory on Steelhouse Lane, Wolverhampton, a colossal test rig built by Stourbridge firm Dartec undergoes final trials in late 1977 before export. Powered by a 300-horsepower hydraulic unit capable of generating forces up to 1,000 tons, the custom-built "earthquake machine" was designed to test the ultimate strength of structural steel pillars and corner joints. Following its trials in the Black Country, the massive apparatus was shipped to New Zealand to aid research into pioneering "quake-proof" building materials and construction techniques. The impressive photograph highlights the region's world-class role in heavy machinery design and international structural engineering innovation. | Express & Star archive
20. Bouncing back from disaster to rebuild one of Willenhall’s premier lockmaking shop floors
Comparing notes over small components in June 1970, a supervisor and manager oversee assembly operations inside the newly rebuilt factory of Lowe and Fletcher in Willenhall. The busy, brightly lit shop floor demonstrates a complete recovery following a major fire that severely damaged the plant 18 months earlier. Thanks to the dedicated efforts of the entire workforce, the firm rapidly restored full manufacturing capacity across its lock assembly lines. Row upon row of assembly benches and workers in the background capture the resilience and industrious spirit of the Black Country's famous lockmaking capital. | Express & Star archive