Sandwell in the seventies: 20 nostalgic photos showing what life was like from 1970 to 1979

Across Sandwell from 1970 to 1979 there were record-breaking onions, big old snowballs, and meals on wheels. Those were some of the fonder memories.

Others include the energy crisis, a shortage of goods in shops, soaring prices and struggling hospitals. During the bread crisis, one shop in West Bromwich managed to source 900 loaves of bread in a 'cloak and dagger' operation, seeing 100 people brave the sleet and snow to try and buy a loaf.

Take a look through our gallery from the Express & Star archives showing life in Sandwell in the '70s.

January 1977: Crowds along Walsall Road, Stone Cross, waiting to catch a glimpse of the Queen on her Jubilee tour of 1977.

1971: 'In these days of mass production, it is a refreshing change to meet someone who cares for cars of the past. Mr H W Barnsley, managing director of Regis Motors, at Powke Lane, Old Hill, owns a 1920 type Arrol Johnston car, which was built at Dumfries in Scotland and was the first production car made after the First World War. With a top speed of about 55mph, the cars were driven down to Birmingham dealers - a distance of 251 miles - in less than nine hours. Travelling over the cobblestones and tramlines of the north this was pretty good going, specially for the 1920s. Mr Barnsley used to work for the Birmingham firm and when he found one of the cars in a sale 10 years ago he bought it 'purely for nostalgic reasons'.'

September 26, 1977: 'West Bromwich gardener Mr Arthur Beauchamp knows his onions - they won top prize in Bromford Lane allotment holders leek and onion show. His collection of four trimmed onions won the J.B. and S. Lees challenge trophy, the J. Williams Cup and blue ribbon for best exhibit in show. But when it came to weight, Mr J. Sharatt had the beating of his fellow allotment holders. His onion topped the scales at 3lb 8oz, some 4oz heavier than his nearest rival... Mr Sharatt is pictured (centre) as judges Mr Harold Crouch (left) and Mr Jack Gibbs checks the weight of his onion. Also pictured are show secretary Mr Norman Hamilton and Mr Owen Pinfold, chairman of Sandwell allotment committee.'

February 27, 1974: Betty Boothroyd, Labour candidate for West Bromwich west, was set to become Speaker of the House of Commons. She was pictured after talking to shoppers at a supermarket at Tipton, before they boarded the free bus.

January 4, 1977: Taking a last chance to make the biggest snowball in Sandwell before going back to school after the holidays are, from left, Ruth Phillips, aged 11, Paul Dyke, aged seven, Julie Dyke, 10, and Rachael Phillips, aged nine years.