Step back in time to swinging 1960s Black Country with 30 of our archive photos

The country celebrated winning the World Cup for the first and only time in 1966.

New bands were on the rise, and old ones were signing albums for their adoring local fans.

Wolverhampton was the spot for some tough chess competition, with a visit from an International Grand Master.

Community groups worked hard to provide free Christmas meals for the elderly and vulnerable, a tradition that has been held dear to this day.

Here are 30 photos from the Express & Star archives taken in the Black Country in the 1960s.

Fans in their thousands

This picture of a police officer carrying a fainting girl was used on an inside page of the Wolverhampton Chronicle of May 13, 1960, with a report telling how crowds welcomed home Wolves after their win in the FA Cup Final at Wembley when they beat Blackburn Rovers 3-0. The published caption was: 'A policeman snatches a fainting girl from the trampling feet of the crowd surging in their thousands in North Street.'

Wolves V Blackburn

The match was played on May 7, 1960, and a caption pasted to the back of the photo reads: 'So near... Heartstopping moment for Blackburn supporters as Wolverhampton's South African outside left Horne just fails to connect with the ball, which flies across the goalmouth out of reach of keeper Leyland in the FA Cup Final at Wembley, London, today, Saturday. Watching in dismay at extreme left is Wolves' inside right Stobbart. Watching in relief are Blackburn's left half McGrath (standing, centre) and left back Whelan, who later broke his leg and was carried off the field. Wolves won 3-0. May 7th, 1960."

A triumphant homecoming

'Sunday, May 8, 1960: A Don Everall coach carried a triumphant Wolves team through the cheering thousands who greeted them after their FA Cup final victory over Blackburn Rovers at Wembley in 1960. Two coaches in the Everall fleet are set aside for the almost exclusive use of Wolves and West Bromwich Albion teams. They are specially equipped for a relaxed journey and they incorporate the colours of the two clubs. Deployed from three bases, at Wolverhampton, West Bromwich and Stourbridge, the firm's fleet averages 80 vehicles.'

Out of tune

April 8, 1968: 'They had a smashing time down at Cradley Heath secondary school on Saturday. Two upright pianos, assembled 60-odd years ago with loving care, were wrecked in eight minutes by six present pupils and six old boys wielding 7lb sledgehammers and 12 carpenter's hammers. The pianos were donated and taken to the school in a borrowed hearse. A third turned out to be in good condition so that will be kept. The contest was over when each piano was broken into pieces small enough to pass through a hole 18in by six inches. It was declared a draw and a slight case of cheating by one team who removed a couple of vital screws before the start was overlooked. It was the grand finale to the school's first Spring Fair which raised an estimated £400.'

A sea of faces

A queue for the match between Aston Villa and Wolves on March 20, 1960, which was being played at the Hawthorns the following Saturday. This was the scene at Molineux - tickets were also sold at Villa Park and the Hawthorns. Scenes were 'amounting almost to hysteria at Villa Park, a no smaller but more orderly scene at Molineux Ground, and a situation at the Hawthorns in which it was stated all who applied were satisfied, soccer crazy Midlanders in their thousands joined the three-point sale of tickets yesterday for Saturday's FA Cup semi final between Wolves and Aston Villa at the Hawthorns... Women wept, men swore, and several people were injured in the desperate rush at Villa Park...'

Train derails

The accident was caused by 'hooligans putting obstacles on the line,' according to a note on the back of this print from August 30, 1960. The published caption pasted to the back reads: 'The fireman and driver of this shunting engine jumped clear when it was derailed and toppled down the embankment on the Walsall Wood to Aldridge line yesterday.'

Diving in

May 24, 1961: 'The underwater exploration section of Walsall police gave a demonstration at the annual inspection of Walsall police in the Arboretum lake today'

RAF Cosford

Boy entrants from RAF Cosford on the canal near Wolverhampton on April 29, 1961. The caption read: "There was a little difficulty getting the 'Ernest Thomas' canal boat under way this morning, when boy entrants from RAF Cosford left Autherley Junction, near Wolverhampton, for a tour of the Black Country canals.'

'Cheap fags'

'Cheap fags' is written on the back of this January 13, 1967 print. 'The sign in the window of the Tesco supermarket at West Bromwich today with the usual shopping scene outside the store.' The sign is also pasted to the back - it reads 'Sorry, cigarettes not yet arrived.' Presumably they were expected to be really cheap.

Final call

Undated: The Regal cinema in Owen Street, Tipton. Usherettes prepare for their final customers before it closed 1960.

Weston Park

An aerial view of Weston Park on July 20, 1961.

Christmas dinner

December 12, 1967: 'Bilston pensioners queue in Vine Street, Bilston, to collect free ingredients for their Christmas dinner. About 2,000 turned up to collect the goods, which were made available by the efforts of the Bilston Senior Citizens Federation.'

A different view

Kingswinford shopping piazza in the 1960s.

Shopping in Walsall

The Bridge area of Walsall in the 1960s.

Get the taste and a half

Grainger's model shop, Caldmore, in the 1960s.

On your bike!

Cannock town centre in the 1960s.

Cliff's adoring fans

October 1964: "Biting on her pencil, 13-year-old Rose Singh, of Albert Road, Wolverhampton, watches with excitement as her idol Cliff Richard signs his autograph for her on his latest disc, during the interval at the Gaumont Theatre, Wolverhampton, last week. Other excited fans, all winners of the Chronicle's contest to meet Cliff, are left to right Rosemary Stirling (16), of Pendeford Lane, Tettenhall, Helen Fencott (22), of Slade Road, Wobaston Estate, Wolverhampton, and Betty Nicholls (17), of Sunny Bank Road, Sedgley."

Strike a pose

February 6, 1960: Girls from Brinsford Lodge Malayan Teachers College in Featherstone. They are wearing the traditional Cheungsan dress.

Mountain rescue

July 11, 1960: 'Emergency!' And the RAF Stafford mountain rescue unit, with stretcher and rescue equipment, set off. They made their way over miles of moor and crag to reach the reporter 'in distress'. Also glad to know the rescue team were around was George Pringle, Express & Star peak-top photographer."

Lieutenant John E Bolton

October 30, 1945: 'At today's investiture at Buckingham Palace, Lieutenant John E Bolton, of Wharfedale, 31 Thorneycroft Lane, Wolverhampton, attended to receive the Distinguished Service Cross awarded to him. The photo shows Lt John E Bolton DSC with his mother and sister outside the Palace.'

Checkmate

A display by a Russian chess grandmaster, Paul Keres, in Wolverhampton on January 9, 1965. The caption pasted on the back reads: 'Eyes down and concentrate. That was the order of the day at Wolverhampton Civic Hall on Saturday afternoon when Russian chess grand master Paul Keres played a simultaneous match against 20 Midlands juniors and ten seniors.'

Pendeford jet setters

Wolverhampton airfield. The photo seems to be of members of Wolverhampton Flying Club in front of the clubhouse. The print has the copyright stamp of Denis H. Whiteside, of 18 Mill Lane, Wednesfield, Wolverhampton.

The 'N Betweens

December 17, 1964: 'Fast rising Midland group The 'N Betweens are predicted to have a big career in front of them in view of their fast increase in popularity recently. Three of the group, vocalist Johnny Howells, rhythm Mick Marson, and drummer John Powell (sic), first became participants in beat music when Mick's brother brought home a guitar. They started 'tatting around' then took it more seriously. But they tried to form a group three times without success. After a few months they broke up each time. Then, at the fourth attempt, lead guitarist David Hill joined them and they finally managed to keep together. With lots of help from Mr Squires, leader of St Giles's Youth Group, Willenhall, the group gathered experience but they got a big break by winning a talent contest which entitled them to play in a concert with The Hollies.'

Making a splash

Boys jumping into the reservoir at Netherton in August 1964. 'The water ski ramp at Netherton reservoir is performing double duty these days. Youngsters swimming at the reservoir find it ideal to swim out to and dive off. Here a group of them leap in for a cooler, but the dog has second thoughts. He waited for his master to come back for him!'

In memory

Sir Matt Busby, former manager of Manchester United, unveiling two stained glass windows in St Francis's Church in Dudley in August 1961 in memory of Manchester United and England football hero Duncan Edwards, who hailed from Dudley, and was killed in the 1958 Munich air crash.

Snapped!

February 29, 1968: 'Charlie, the Mississippi alligator, waddled into a Walsall pet shop yesterday - on a lead,' began the story accompanying this picture. It continued: 'His owner handles him like a dog, a reasonable description judging by the way Charlie walked obediently by his side, flipping his tail. But the 'trusty, man's best friend' part ended right there. His malevolent green eyes gave him away. Just as he was making his entrance, Charlie lunged at a photographer, who leapt swiftly and thankfully to safety. Nobody was going to stroke him or tickle his chin. His owner, 20-year-old John Foden, of Foden Road, Great Barr, brought him to the pet shop, Walsall Livestock Supplies, in Lichfield Street, in a suitcase. Then he thought that Charlie might be lad of a walk after the journey...Pet shop owner Mr Richard Cockersole, in the picture, took Charlie for a short constitutional, with Mr Foden in close attendance...'

Wooly's

Wolverhampton's new Woolworths store, shot in July 1968.

Queen's gambit

A chess competition in Wolverhampton on June 1, 1968. 'All roads did not lead to the country and coast today. Some led to the Northcote school Wolverhampton, where the fourth Staffordshire chess congress got under way this morning. Our picture shows some of the early competitors working out their Whit moves with intense concentration.'

Baggies bring it home

May 20, 1968: 'Albion outside West Brom Town Hall' and 'Albion supporters welcoming team home' – the homecoming of West Brom after winning the 1968 FA Cup Final at Wembley, which was played on May 18 and which they won 1-0 against Everton.

Bride Street

Walsall's Bridge Street pictured in 1967, with classic cars and the old Odeon cinema.