For many people across the Black Country and Staffordshire, the 1980s meant factories, workshops and industrial estates were a familiar part of everyday life. The sound of machinery, the smell of oil and metal, workers arriving for shifts and lorries coming and going were all part of the local landscape.
These photographs take us back to a decade when traditional skills were being joined by new technology. Engineers, machinists, printers, foundry workers and factory teams were keeping production moving, while local firms invested in new machinery, developed new products and won orders from around the world.
From Wolverhampton and Willenhall to Walsall, Dudley, Stafford and beyond, these pictures capture the people, workplaces and businesses that helped shape the region.
Do you remember any of these factories or firms? Perhaps you worked in one of them, or had a family member who did? Take a look through and see how many bring back memories - the pictures are in no particular order - and share yours in the comments.
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33. From steelworks to carpentry
Twenty-five former Round Oak steelworkers were learning new skills in June 1984 after being made redundant when the Brierley Hill works closed. The men had spent a year retraining in carpentry and joinery on an EEC-sponsored course at West Bromwich College. They were putting their skills into practice by building a 15ft-square mini-bungalow in the college workshops. The men, whose average age was 45, were expected to gain City and Guilds certificates. Three planned to start their own businesses, while the others were hoping to find work. Colin Fellows and Joe Rich are pictured looking over a finished flight of stairs. Do you remember the Round Oak works or anyone who worked there? Did you or someone you know retrain after losing a job in the 1980s? | Express & Star archive
34. A Wolverhampton firm built on service
Chas Hunter was continuing a family tradition of quality and personal service in July 1987. Founded in 1926, the Wolverhampton firm supplied industrial, protective and leisure clothing and footwear. The family business was also looking to the future, with plans for a wider range of goods, computerised stocktaking and new trade counter facilities. Joint managing director Robert Hunter, grandson of the founder, was helping to lead the company’s expansion. Elizabeth Casa and Carl Miles are pictured modelling some of the clothing. Do you remember Chas Hunter or its Wolverhampton premises? Did you or someone in your family buy or work with the company? | Express & Star archive
35. From riding whips to caravan heaters
Staff at Carver’s Brownhills factory are pictured checking precision aluminium caravan space heaters in August 1988. Once known for riding whips and harnesses, the company had evolved into a respected supplier to the caravan trade, with more than three-quarters of its workforce involved in the leisure industry. Carver also continued its engineering work, producing workholding systems, rack clamps and tee-slot clamps for industry. Do you remember Carver or its Coppice Side factory? Did you or someone in your family work there during the 1980s? | Express & Star archive
36. Brierley Hill craftsmen work through the night
A team of Black Country craftsmen worked through the night at Carbern in Brierley Hill in June 1988 to complete a £40,000 emergency order for a stricken North Sea oil rig. The 15-strong team produced stainless steel flanges, joints, pipes, nuts and bolts before the parts were rushed to Birmingham International Airport. Staff had already completed a full day’s work when the order arrived at around 5pm, with some workers even returning from holiday to help. Colin Barnsley is pictured drinking coffee to keep awake after working through the night. Do you remember Carbern or its factory in Bevan Road? Did you or someone you know work there during the 1980s? | Express & Star archive