Walsall Archives

23/08/2026

Tour of the Archives
Due to demand we have added another date for a tour of the archives - 25 September 10:30-11:30. We have a reserve list but there are still places available. Contact us by telephone 01922 652212 or email [email protected] to book a place.

02/08/2026

Join us for a talk about the King of Showmen, Pat Collins. Local author and historian, Ned Williams, talks about this fascinating figure, a former Mayor, travelling showman and entrepreneur on Friday 11 September at 12pm.

Places are free but booking is essential. Email [email protected] or telephone 01922 652212 to secure a place.

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31/07/2026

September brings another Heritage Open Day celebration. We are offering the unique opportunity to go behind the scenes at Walsall Archives on Friday 11 September (10:30-11:30). This time we will be highlighting the amazing achievements of ordinary people in keeping with this year's theme, 'Everyday Histories'. Places are limited. Book now to secure your place. Contact us by email, [email protected] or telephone, 01922 652212. We are open Tuesday - Thursday 10am to 4pm and Fridays 10am to 3pm. We are also now open on the first Saturday of the month!

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27/07/2026

The first digitised images from the Jack Haddock collection have gone live!

https://go.walsall.gov.uk/newsroom/walsalls-history-now-just-click-away-new-digital-archive-goes-live

We have been digitising and uploading images onto our online public portal, as part of our Walsall Archive for All project, funded by the The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

The first selection show a variety of different images from the railways and canals of the borough and beyond. To access our public portal please click on the following link - https://walsall.access.preservica.com/portal
There are more images being added weekly so please keep checking back and seeing what else has been made available.

Walsall Archive For All is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players we have began to digitise and make available the Jack Haddock photographic collection.

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Jack Haddock/Alan Price photo Appreciation Page

The borough's new digital archive portal officially launches.

03/07/2026

South Asian History Month - July 2026
We have a display in central library showing the development of the Mandir Baba Balak Nath in Caldmore, Walsall founded in 1983. It is the first temple outside of India in the tradition of Sidh Shri Baba Balak Nath. These are part of a collection of photographs and other ephemera within Walsall Archives kindly donated by Mahant Shri Shri Jaspal Bhatti Ji. His granddaughter, Laxmi D, helped us organise the collection and provided the biographies of Mahant Shri Shri Jaspal Bhatti Ji and Mata Ji Shri Dalvir Bhatti Ji as well as descriptions for the images.
Love Walsall Libraries Walsall for All Mandir Baba Balak Nath - Walsall, UK Official

24/06/2026

We are still taking bookings for Emma's talk on Saturday 4 July. It promises to be a super morning. Free but you will need to email us to book a spot - [email protected]. Walsall Libraries Our Walsall

10/06/2026

June is also Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month. Walsall Archives has teamed up with Walsall Libraries and other partners including One Love Community Music and Arts CIC to create three exhibitions at Love Blakenhall Community Hub, Bloxwich Library and Willenhall Library. The exhibitions celebrate the life of former Mayor, travelling showman and entrepreneur Pat Collins and 'Queen of the Gypsies' - Louisa Price as well as community artwork and visual displays from One Love. Love Walsall Libraries Our Walsall

07/06/2026

Dive into the fascinating world of confectionary with Emma Barran-Scott on Saturday 4 July at 11.30am. Contact us to book a free place!

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05/06/2026

To mark Pride Month we have partnered with the library to create a display around the Campaign for Homosexual Equality (CHE), most active during the 1970's. The display includes a brief history and sample pages from the minutes of the Walsall CHE although the full documents can be read by making an appointment to view them at Walsall Archives due to copyright restrictions.

The CHE minutes that we hold are copies of originals kept in the Hall-Carpenter Archives (HCA), London School of Economics Library, HCA/CHE/7/141.

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03/06/2026

We are delighted to announce that we have been awarded accredited status as part of the UK Archive Service Accreditation scheme, that is overseen by The National Archives.
Archive Service Accreditation is the UK standard for archive management and recognises services that demonstrate a long-term commitment to preserving and providing public access to archive collections.

You can see full details of the announcement here - https://go.walsall.gov.uk/newsroom/walsall-archives-service-achieves-national-accreditation and the news story from The National Archives here - https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/news/200th-uk-archive-awarded-accredited-status/

Pictured is the Charles I charter of incorporation, issued to the Town in 1627.

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