Wolverhampton Archives and Local Studies

Home
United Kingdom
Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton Archives and Local Studies

Wolverhampton Archives keeps documents, maps, books, photos, newspapers and more relating to the history of areas now within the city of Wolverhampton.

If you are interested in any aspect of Wolverhampton's history, Wolverhampton Archives and Local Studies can help. We have documents, maps, books, photos, censuses, newspapers etc. relating to the history of all areas now within the present city of Wolverhampton including Bilston, Bushbury, Penn, Tettenhall and Wednesfield. Search our catalogues on the Black Country History website: blackcountryhistory.org

Follow Wolverhampton Archives and Local Studies on Twitter:

Take a look at some of our images on Flickr: Wolverhampton Arts + Heritage

Take a look at the Smith, Son & Wilkie cataloguing project blog: takingaccountproject.wordpress.com

01/10/2026

George Laking (1913 - 1997)
George signed for Wolverhampton Wanderers FC as a defender in 1934. He made a number of appearances for the Reserve team before he made his first-team debut against Grimsby Town in November 1935. Local newspapers described his debut as "auspicious" and reported that he had come "through with flying colours, very rarely putting a foot wrong". On his home debut against Liverpool, he was cheered for his "splendid tackling". In 1936, he moved to Middlesbrough FC. These photos from a scrapbook (Ref: DW-209/1/1) show him in action during a "public practice match" in 1934.

29/09/2026

Brynmor Jones (1912 - 1985)
A Welsh international, Bryn played for Wolverhampton Wanderers FC between 1933 and 1938, before signing for Arsenal for a then British record transfer fee of £14,000. He made 163 league appearances and scored 52 goals for Wolves. He won 17 caps for Wales between 1935 and 1948. The image is a press cutting from a scrapbook about Wolves 1934-35 (ref: DW-209/1/1) which details Bryn's return to the first team after injury.

25/09/2026

Tonight, Molineux plays host to the England football team Under-21s, who face Kazakhstan in a UEFA EURO qualification match.

The first ever England Under-21 international took place at Molineux fifty years ago in 1976, with England facing Wales. The England team included some familiar Wanderers FC names - Paul Bradshaw, Dave Jones, Andy King and Glenn Hoddle. However, Alan Sunderland was the only Wolves player in the England squad at the time. The match ended in a goalless draw.

A rather more dramatic incident occurred on 8 October 1996, when England Under-21s were due to face Poland at Molineux. At the height of IRA activity, a suspect package wrapped in foil was discovered in the stadium, delaying kick-off and prompting a controlled explosion. The package turned out to be nothing more than a sandwich, and the match eventually got underway at 10 pm, again ending in a 0-0 draw.

The images show the England senior players, including Billy Wright, during a training camp at Molineux, before an international against Spain in 1955 (ref: D-EXP/S/WW/344); a 1976 Express & Star match preview focussing on Alan Sunderland (ref: LS/07EXP/665); and reports on the 1996 bomb scare (ref: LS/07EXP/122).

24/09/2026

Joe Gardiner (1916 - 1997)
Described as a left half-back, Joe was originally from County Durham. He won 11 football medals whilst still at school before leaving Bearpark Juniors to join Wolverhampton Wanderers FC in 1932. He went on to make more than 120 league appearances for the club and played in the 1939 FA Cup Final. A press cutting in a scrapbook 1938 - 1940 (ref: DW-209/1/4) describes him as "tireless, tenacious and rapid and precise in movement". After retiring as a player he remained at Molineux as a trainer and scout, playing an important role behind the scenes during the club's golden era under Stan Cullis.

22/09/2026

Fred Powell
Fred worked as a groundsman at Molineux, playing an important role in the day-to-day running of the club. This photograph dated 10 August 1957 shows him "spraying the playing area with one of the stimulants that will make for better and greener grass." (ref: D-EXP/S/WW/69)

19/09/2026

Tomorrow, Wolverhampton Wanderers FC will be playing West Bromwich Albion. As founder members of the Football League, this fixture is one of the oldest derbies in football, with the teams having played each other 163 times. In 1963, Wolves enjoyed their biggest win over their local rivals, with a 7-0 victory. Their biggest defeat, of 8-0, came much further back, in 1893.

The items from the Archive include:

- an extract from a poem by "Portobello poet", Thomas Bratt, written for the final of the Birmingham Cup Final in 1892 between West Bromwich Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers, including the immortal lines "You'll hear the Wolves a-howling round / The little Throstles' feet". Wolves won the match, which took place at Wellington Road, Perry Barr, 5-2. (Ref: DW-37/1/2).

- An advert for a match between West Bromwich Albion A Team and Wanderers A team at Molineux in March 1927, which notes that the progress of the Arsenal v Wolves Cup Tie was due to be shown on the scoreboard every 15 minutes. In an era pre-smartphone and even pre- mass radio ownership, this is an interesting glimpse of how supporters were able to follow the progress of matches taking place elsewhere. There were effectively two Wolves teams playing at the same time - the first team were playing at Highbury in the FA Cup, and the so-called A team (what we would now call the reserve team) at Molineux (Ref: LS/07EXP/253)

- Three players challenge for the ball at Molineux, including Roy Pritchard, in 1953 (Ref: D-EXP/S/WW/36)

- A particularly excellent submission for a spot-the-ball competition, with Don Howe, Chuck Drury, Peter Broadbent and Barry Stobart in action during a Wolves-Albion clash on Boxing Day in 1962. The caption likens the scene to a graceful ballet (Ref: D-EXP/S/WW/409)

17/09/2026

Albert Herbert "Bert" Hoskins (1885 - 1968)
A former Wolverhampton Wanderers FC player, Albert became club secretary in 1922. At that time, the secretary role was quite a prominent official, covering administration, transfers, contracts, and much of the day-to-day running of the football side. By 1924 he had become secretary-manager, helping Wolves finish 4th in the Second Division in 1925-26. He left to manage Gillingham Football Club and later worked as a trainer, coach and scout with non-league clubs.

15/09/2026

John Brant "Jack" Brodie (1862 - 1925)
Along with John Baynton, Jack was instrumental in the formation of Wolverhampton Wanderers FC, persuading friends from St Luke's School to play football on a field near the home of Sir Alfred Hickman MP, who later served as president of the club for many years. A prolific goalscorer and England international, Jack also later served as a referee and a director of Wolves once his playing days were over. This article from the Wolverhampton Chronicle, dated 18 February 1925, records the death of this "Football Pioneer and Schoolmaster", and provides an excellent summary of his life and achievements (ref: LS/L07CHR/51)

09/09/2026

Denis Conyerd
Denis served as a physio for Wolverhampton Wanderers FC throughout most of the 1980s. In a match at Brighton in May 1985, goalkeeper Tim Flowers fractured his wrist while saving a Frank Worthington penalty. Referee David Letts, refused permission for treatment until the penalty was retaken, but Conyerd entered the pitch anyway, for which he was booked. The booking was later cancelled and Letts was subsequently struck off the Football League list.

06/09/2026

Hugh Curran (1943 - 2026)
Hugh made nearly 100 appearances for Wolverhampton Wanderers FC during the late 1960s and early 1970s. He scored 47 goals in total, and was Wolves' leading scorer in the 1969/70 season. It was during his time at Molineux that he received his first call-up for international duty, playing in a World Cup qualifier for Scotland in November 1969. He started his career at Home Farm, before spells with Third Lanark, Corby Town, Millwall Football Club and Norwich City FC . After leaving Wolves he played for Bolton Wanderers and Oxford United before retiring through injury in 1979. This photograph shows some of his fellow players congratulating him on his Scotland selection.

Address

Molineux Hotel Building, Whitmore Hill
Wolverhampton
WV11SF

Website

http://www.blackcountryhistory.org/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Wolverhampton Archives and Local Studies posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The School

Send a message to Wolverhampton Archives and Local Studies:

Want your school to be the top-listed School/college in Wolverhampton?