1960 to 1999

1960
May. The old town centre market in Market Square closed for the last time and moved to the new School Street development, which was officially opened on 22^nd June by Lord Morrison of Lambeth.
14th May. Gene Vincent appeared at the Gaumont on Snow Hill.

1961
March. The first section of the Ring Road from Dudley Road to the Penn Road Island opened.
April. The Star and Garter in Victoria Street closed its doors for the last time. It was once the City’s premier hotel.
Flu brings chaos during the early part of the year. Operations were cancelled at New Cross Hospital and there were plans to reduce visiting times.

1962
24th May. The Queen visited Wolverhampton.
6th December. Worker’s Playtime was broadcast from the Boulton Paul factory.

1963
20th April. The Technical High School at Fordhouses was officially opened by Christopher Chataway, M.P.
19th November. The Beatles appeared at the Gaumont on Snow Hill.

1964
22nd January. Outline planning approved for the building of the Mander Centre.
15th September. Stan Cullis, Wolves Manager was sacked after the club slipped down the table and attendances fell below 15,000.

1965
8th September. Torrential rain brought serious flooding to the Black Country on what was the wettest September day for 30 years. "Operation Noah's Ark" was launched at Wednesfield to save 60 pigs from drowning.
18th October. Wolverhampton's one-way traffic system was launched. 

1966
19th February. The Clifton Cinema closed and reopened as a bingo hall on 3^rd March.
1st April. Tettenhall Urban District was absorbed into the Borough of Wolverhampton.
13th July. The foundation stone of the Wulfrun Centre was laid to mark the partnership between Wolverhampton Council and the Hammerson Property Group.
December. Marlene Dietrich appeared at the Grand Theatre.
Wolverhampton North East M.P. Renee Short told the House of Commons that something had to be done to stop drug dealing. She brandished a piece of silver paper containing a wrap of heroin which she said she had "obtained illicitly" on the streets of Wolverhampton.

1967
5th March. Wolverhampton's last trolleybus, number 446 made its final journey from Wolverhampton to Dudley and back.
18th March. Roy Orbison appeared at the Gaumont Cinema on Snow Hill.
19th December. Blakenhall Gardens flats were officially opened by Sir Keith Joseph. The new development consisted of 607 new homes.

1968
14th February. The Duchess of Kent visited Courtaulds.
6th March. The Mander Centre was officially opened by the Mayor, Alderman Edward Fullwood.
September. Wolverhampton's new fire station officially opened.
9th December. Prince Philip visited Chubb & Sons.

1969
1st April. Heath Town flats were officially opened by Princess Margaret.
3rd June. The Queen Mother visited Wolverhampton Town Hall.
7th September. Wolves footballer Peter Knowles sensationally quit the game to become a Jehovah's Witness.
September. The College of Technology officially became Wolverhampton Polytechnic.

1970
22nd June. Prince Philip visited Wolverhampton.
29th June. Princess Margaret visited Wolverhampton.
November. The cattle market in Bilston Street closed to end the long tradition of cattle trading in Wolverhampton.

1971
15th February. Decimal coinage launched replacing the much-lamented pounds, shillings and pence.
26th May. Princess Anne visited Wolverhampton.
This was the year of the first postal strike in the West Midlands. The striking workers found themselves the victim of their own industrial action due to difficulties in getting their hardship pay cheques from strike headquarters in London.

1973
May. The old Wholesale Market was demolished to make way for the Civic Centre.
10th November. Gaumont Cinema closed for the last time.
December. The start of Britain's three-day week resulted in nearly half of West Midlands industry coming to a standstill and hundreds of thousands of workers being made idle as the restrictions came into force.

1974
March. Wolves won the League Cup after a 2-1 victory over Manchester City. The winning goals were scored by Kenny Hibbitt and John Richards.
May. Central Arcade destroyed by fire.
13th May. The ABC, Bilston Street was reopened by EMI as a three screen cinema.

1975
October. Workers at the Norton Villiers factory took control of the threatened plant in an attempt to keep the factory working. They eventually accepted a plan put forward by shop stewards for them to be temporarily laid off while the official receiver prepared a case for the winding up of the company.

1976
12th April. Beacon Radio went on the air for the first time.
23rd December. The Whispering Wheels skating rink in Temple Street was destroyed by fire.

1977
June. More than 200 street parties took place in Wolverhampton to celebrate the Queen's Silver Jubilee. Seven Jubilee babies were born at New Cross Hospital.

1978
Paperboy Carl Bridgewater was shot dead at Yew Tree Farm, Prestwood, near Stourbridge after disturbing burglars.

1979
April. Woden Transformers of Bilston received the Queen's Award for Industry.

1980
The streets of Bilston were lined with hundreds or mourners for the funeral of shot security guard George Smith. A service was held at St. Leonard's Church.
Following Wolves 3-1 win over Third Division Swindon, fans jammed the club's switchboard for tickets for the following month's League Cup Final at Wembley. Wolves were successful in their bid for the League Cup with a 1-0 victory over Forest.

1981
July. Rioting took place on the streets of Handsworth and Wolverhampton with a  wave of stone throwing and petrol bombs. The attacks were aimed at shops and cars and caused a lot of damage. 

1982
A thunderbolt left a 20ft. wide crater in Larches Lane during worst thunderstorm to hit the West Midlands for more than 14 years.

1983
4th July. The Odeon in Skinner Street closed and later reopened as the Top Rank Bingo and Social Club.
August. A new stretch of railway line from Stafford Road Junction to Bushbury Junction opened to enable coal trains from the north to make their way to Ironbridge Power Station without having to reverse at Wolverhampton.
August. The Grand Theatre reopened after undergoing a major redevelopment.

1984
May. A Ring and Ride service was introduced for the disabled.

1985
A Wolverhampton butcher died after struggling to work in heavy snow. 63 years old Kenneth Blackburn collapsed after arriving at Edwards' butchers in Belton Avenue. He was pronounced dead on arrival at hospital.
29th April to 31st December. Wolverhampton celebrated its Millennium.

1986
Wolverhampton marathon was declared invalid after an investigation revealed that the course was short by nearly half a mile, much to the disappointment of almost 5,000 runners. Four days later they learned that the course was 732 yards short of the full marathon distance.

1988
November. The Midland Counties Dairy on the corner of Penn Road and Lea Road was demolished as part of the Penn Road widening scheme.

1989
17th July. MacDonalds restaurant on the corner of Lea Road and Penn Road opened.
Manders, the property, paint and ink group and one of Wolverhampton's biggest companies, converted its fleet of 200 vehicles to run on lead-free petrol. They were one of the first companies to do so.

1990
October. The Asda supermarket next to the Molineux football ground was officially opened by Norman Davies, leader of the Council.

1991
17th October. The ABC / Cannon Cinema on the corner of Bilston Street closed.
18th October. The Lighthouse Cinema in the Chubb building, Fryer Street opened.

1992
July. Princess Diana opened Bilston Street Police Station.

1993
August. A row blew up between Wolverhampton Council and City Challenge bosses over a £20,000 "piece of art" that was set up at the junction of Gorsebrook Road and Stafford Road. It was a short length of old railway track complete with imitation station and level crossing gates. The City Challenge chairman said the council had got the scheme wrong and he wanted it put right.
26th December. Wolverhampton Racecourse reopened after a major redevelopment.

1994
24th June. The Queen visited Wolverhampton. She attended a millennium service at St Peter's Church and unveiled a plaque marking the church's foundation. She then visited the Civic Centre and the new £15 million Molineux stadium, where she was greeted by Sir Jack Hayward and Manager, Graham Taylor. Afterwards she proceeded to Dunstall Racecourse where she unveiled a plaque to officially open the £13.5 million course and watched her horse come third in the Queen Elizabeth All Weather Stakes.
October. The Billy Wright statue appeal was launched at Molineux.

1995
October. Complaints about noise from Wolverhampton's pubs reached record levels.

1996
July. A crazed machete wielding maniac attacked children in St. Luke's Infants School, Blakenhall.

1997
March. Piper's Row multi storey car park collapses in the early hours of the morning. Luckily no one was hurt.
March. Prince Charles visit's Wolverhampton and was the special guest at Molineux where a presentation of the work of the Prince's Trust was given.
June. The Royal Hospital closed and services were transferred to New Cross.
7th October. Wolf Radio made its first broadcast.

1998
August. The A.A. revealed plans to close 142 shops nationwide, including one in the Mander Centre.

1999
1st May. Bantock House was reopened after refurbishment by Councillor Sarah Edmonson, Chairman of Leisure Services.
May. The Midland Metro was officially opened by Princess Anne.
August. The Council draws up the first local list of protected buildings.