In 1970 I purchased my first quality camera, a Pentax Spotmatic, which performed extremely well. I began to photograph local areas that were about to be redeveloped, or change in some way. I wanted to keep a record of the once-familiar streets, so that in the future I could look at them again, and re-kindle old memories. I have included a few of my photographs from that decade. Some scenes have changed little, others have changed completely, and are now almost unrecognisable.

I hope the photographs below will bring back memories for you, or if you are too young to remember the scenes, you can see how things used to be around forty years ago, in a very different world.

Steelhouse Lane and the Surrounding Area

A sunny day in Steelhouse Lane. On the right is Sutherland Place, with signs pointing to the Royal Hospital's accident and emergency unit. On the far corner of Sutherland Place is Wiltshire's shop, and next door in Steelhouse Lane is a butchers run by A. Ford, then a clothes shop, and two doors away the shop run by fish merchant, A. M. Rogers.


A close-up view of the shops, with Dixon's building in the background.


Another view, a little further along Steelhouse Lane.


Looking into Jenner Street from Steelhouse Lane. Across the road is the factory of Edwin Preston Limited, brass founders.

A view looking along Steelhouse Lane from Gordon Street on the left, towards Cleveland Road in the far distance.

Looking into Gordon Street from Steelhouse Lane. The shop on the corner at number 232 was occupied by Wulfruna Refrigeration Services Limited, who repaired refrigerators.
A back yard behind one of the old houses in Gordon Street that has long disappeared.

The rear extension with the chimney would have been for the kitchen. The small building on the left would have been the outside toilet. The small wooden building may well have been the coal shed.
A look at the alleyway that ran behind the old houses in Gordon Street.


Another look at the alleyway.


The last of the old houses at the eastern end of Gordon Street, during demolition at the end of 2001.


The inside of the end house, as seen through the open doorway.


A final look at Gordon Street. As seen from Vicarage Road.

Steelhouse Lane ran alongside one of the largest factories in the area, Bayliss, Jones & Bayliss. This photo is of the Metal Forming Plant. In the background on the left is All Saints Church. Courtesy of Nina McCarthy.

Close to the northern end of Steelhouse Lane, off Cleveland Road, is Hospital Street. The view above is of the terraced houses that were on the western side of the street. On the right is Bilston Street.
Lichfield Street, Queen Square, Queen Street and Dudley Street

The large Co op store that was in Lichfield Street. The left-hand part of the building is now the Moon Under Water pub. In the distance on the right is Victoria Square.

A Christmas view of Lichfield Street, taken from Princes Square. On the extreme left is TV rental company Telefusion. To the right is the Co operative Permanent Building Society; Modern Shoe Repairs Limited; Edward Parry's wonderful ironmongers shop; a Chinese restaurant; J. E. & A. D. Ongley, hairdressers; and the Wolverhampton & District Building Society.

A look at Queen Square during the resurfacing work in Dudley Street which was being pedestrianised. On the left, on the corner of Exchange Street is Queen Square Carpets; next door is J. W. Wassall's shoe shop; and Joan's fashion shop.


The southern side of Queen Square.


A fine view of the Queens Ballroom and Restaurant in Queen Square. Courtesy of David Parsons.


A busy shopping day in Queen Street. Courtesy of David Parsons.


Dudley Street during pedestrianisation.

A view of Dudley Street from 1974. On the left is the site of the recently demolished Central Arcade, shortly after the tragic fire that took place on 20th May, 1974.
The Mander Centre & the Wulfrun Centre

A view of the Mander Centre from the early 1970s, when it was all very new. The centre opened on 6th March, 1968.

Looking into the Wulfrun Centre from the end of Dudley Street in the mid 1970s, long before the overall roof was added in the 1990s


Another view of the Wulfrun Centre, which opened in 1968.
Other Areas


The once popular Gaumont Cinema on Snow Hill. Courtesy of David Parsons.

The large car park that was on the site of the Civic Centre. The photograph was taken in 1975 just before work began on the Civic Centre. The car park had been there since 1962, after the old retail market had been demolished.


A view of Wolverhampton Polytechnic (now the University) from St. Peter's Church tower in 1988.


A view of the old St. Peter's School from the Polytechnic's 'C' Block in 1971.

The old shops in Broad Street between Westbury Street and St. Mary's Street, awaiting demolition. Courtesy of David Parsons.


The backs of the shops in the previous photo.


The Chubb Building seen from Broad Street, looking towards Railway Street. Courtesy of David Parsons.


Looking along Old Mill Street towards the Queens Building and Lichfield Street. Courtesy of David Parsons.

Looking across Horseley Fields with St. James Square on the left and Pipers Row in the background. Courtesy of David Parsons.


An early 1970s view of Darlington Street and the old shops that were demolished to make way for the extension to Fold Street Car Park.
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