Step back into 1970s Wellington and see a familiar market town in the midst of dramatic change.
As the new town of Telford expanded around it, Wellington was reshaped during a decade of demolition, construction and redevelopment. Streets were altered, old buildings came down and new roads, pedestrian schemes and developments began to change the town’s appearance. Places such as Groom’s Alley and Tan Bank were transformed, creating a very different-looking Wellington from the one people knew before.
Yet among the building works and changing streetscapes, there are plenty of reminders of everyday life – familiar shops and businesses, busy roads, local landmarks and the people who lived and worked in the town.
Drawn from the Shropshire Star archive, these photographs capture Wellington as it looked during the 1970s – from demolition and construction to ordinary scenes of town life.
Take a stroll through the gallery and see how many streets, buildings, shops and familiar faces you can recognise. What do you remember about Wellington in the 1970s? Let us know in the comments.
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1. Watching progress unfold beneath the town centre junction
Workers dig inside a massive 30ft excavation at the junction connecting High Street, New Street, and the new ring road scheme in Wellington on November 24, 1973. The vast earthworks gave curious shoppers a dramatic spectacle as work began on a pedestrian underpass designed to safely carry foot traffic beneath the upcoming ring road. The engineering effort formed part of a major redevelopment aimed at modernising town traffic and keeping shoppers connected across the growing market town. Do you remember watching the construction of the Wellington ring road underpass back in the 1970s? | Shropshire Star archive
2. A modern new chapter for the Class of 1970
Pupils settle into their bright, modern classroom at the newly opened Ercall Junior School in Wellington on September 8, 1970. Seated on the left at her desk, the teacher sports a stylish mini-skirt while leading the class in their fresh surroundings. The state-of-the-art building replaced the town's outdated Victorian premises on Princes Street, which subsequently closed down before going on to find new life as the Belfrey Theatre and Arts Centre. Were you in the Class of 1970 when Ercall Junior School first opened its doors to pupils? | Shropshire Star archive
3. A window into the high street fashion of a bygone era
A carefully arranged window display showcases the latest autumn footwear fashions at Woodfin Shoes in Wellington on September 22, 1976. Packed with classic 1970s styles, leather handbags, and trusted brands like Lotus and Clarks, the storefront offered local shoppers a tempting look at the season's newest arrivals. The long-standing retailer was a familiar fixture in the market town, serving generations of Shropshire families with personal service and quality footwear. Do you remember buying school shoes, boots, or a new pair of heels from Woodfin Shoes in Wellington back in the 1970s? | Shropshire Star archive
4. Paving the way for better access to town centre shops
Construction machinery and stacks of concrete piping line a newly cleared stretch of land off Tan Bank in Wellington in January 1974. Groundwork was well underway on the construction of a dedicated access road, designed specifically to ease congestion by allowing delivery lorries direct access to the rear of the stores along New Street. The infrastructural project marked a key step in modernising town centre transport and improving daily operations for local traders. Do you remember when work was taking place to build the access road off Tan Bank in the early 1970s? | Shropshire Star archive