The old Barrel Inn, Victoria Street c 1876

I’m having the IT builders in this weekend, so posts are a bit scattergun as I move things, fix them up and reinstall them, so please bear with me – but helpfully, the blog regulars in the form of the young David Evans, Pedro Cutler, Andy Dennis and dear old Reg Fullelove have supplied lots of material to tide us through.

In the first of two posts of donated Aer Reg material today, the inimitable Mr. Fullelove kindly shared these mid-70s Wolverhampton historical postcards with David Evans, who scanned them and sent them in.

David said:

Hi Bob

These postcards were generously shared by Reg Fullelove for readers of the blog to enjoy.

They were produced in 1975 for the year of architecture by Wolverhampton Art Gallery and sponsored by Tarmac Construction.

Sincere thanks to Reg for the time and generosity!

Best wishes
David

Whilst Wolverhampton is on the extremities of the area, I know may of you know and love Wolves (particularly Mr. Cutler as it’s his adopted home!) and there are some wonderful images here.

Whilst my views on architectural progress are controversial and fairly well known here, I’ve always felt that Wolverhampton, in common with Coventry, suffered particularly harshly in the urban clearances of the postwar era – some remarkable architecture was lost.

Thanks to Reg and David for a wonderful donation, and if you have anything to add, please do. Comment here or mail me: BrownhillsBob at Googlemail dot com. Thanks.

Victoria Street c 1870. At the junction with John Street. The timbered building and the elegant brick house still stand, though the latter is changed almost out of recognition.

Industrial Hall, Wolverhampton. Fine Art and Industrial Exhibition, 1902. The extravagant Art Nouveau façade conceals a temporary prefabricated structure

Victoria Street, c 1900

Empire Palace Theatre, popularly known as the Hippodrome, demolished 1961 to make way for the Times Furnishing Company building

The Empire Music Hall, Queen’s Square c 1890. Later the site of the Empire Palace Theatre (Hippodrome) itself demolished in 1961 to make way for Times Furnishing.

Old shops in Lichfield Street c 1870. These stood on the site of the present Art Gallery

Corn Exchange just prior to demolition in 1898. The building stood in North Street on the site of the Civic Hall. The old Bluecoat School may be seen in the background.

Posters on a building in Cleveland Street, 1866

All images kindly supplied by Reg Fullelove, from postcards published in 1975 by Wolverhampton Art Gallery.