The Black Country lost to time: Locals share 15 things they miss most from the Black Country's past
It is not unknown that our Black Country has a rich and diverse history.
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But with each decade our towns have changed. The Black Country is not what it was 50 years ago.
We asked Express & Star readers what they would bring back from the Black Country's past – and over 450 people responded, many with mutual thoughts.
Here's a selection of the top things that locals miss most.
1. Banks's and Hanson's pubs
In the late 1800s, a merger took place between the Banks's & Co brewery and the Victoria & Dudley Breweries. Since that merger, in 1890, the company expanded massively, snapping up a string of local breweries and pubs in the early decades.
The company changed its name to Marston's in 2007, which sadly saw many Banks's pubs in Wolverhampton and the Black Country being rebranded.
2. Walsall Arboretum Illuminations
A huge annual light display in Walsall Arboretum ran every year between 1951 and 2008 as part of Walsall's Festival of Britain celebrations. Fears over the future of the lights extravaganza then began to raise, but council chiefs insisted it was under review.
In 2011, it was announced that the illuminations would not be returning. It emerged that the show was losing £200,000 a year and suffering from dwindling numbers.
3. The Crooked House
Built in 1765, the quirky and historic pub was known by the nation for its wonky interior. It was sadly destroyed by a fire in August 2023.
