Banks’s Brewery was a central part of Wolverhampton’s industrial and social life for more than 150 years. Beer was first brewed in Newbridge in 1874, before the Park Brewery was established in Wolverhampton the following year.

In 1890, it merged with other local breweries to become Wolverhampton and Dudley Breweries Ltd, with the Banks's name used as the brand for the new company.

When Park Brewery closed last year, the importance of preserving its history was recognised, and a large and varied archive relating to the brewery and its associated companies has now been donated to Wolverhampton City Archives.

The collection spans from the late 19th century through to the early 21st century and shows how the brewery operated, the pubs and properties it owned, and the people who worked there.

It includes a wide range of records, such as brewing and stock books, ledgers, minute books, maps and deeds, annual reports, photographs, packaging and publicity material. There are also employee records including wage books, pension scheme information, and a First World War roll of honour.

Alongside large numbers of bound volumes, the archive includes loose paper files, framed certificates, film and VHS tapes, and a small number of working brewery items such as a fermentation marking board and a cask racking chalkboard.

Among the items is a letter from 1924 by a man named Mr Wynn, who wrote of the medicinal properties of Banks’s beer, which he claimed had helped his recovery after a period of indigestion and bowel trouble and “made practically a new man of me”. Needless to say, he ordered another cask of the beer to help continue his recuperation!

The archive has not been fully catalogued and is therefore largely inaccessible to the public at the present time. Wolverhampton City Archives is now applying for grant funding to create a full, professional catalogue enabling the collection to be discovered and used by researchers, local and family historians, former employees, community groups and the wider public. The project will also address basic conservation needs, including treatment of any mould-affected material.

Alongside cataloguing, the project will involve volunteers and the local branch of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), draw on specialist expertise from organisations such as the National Brewery Heritage Trust, and share its findings through a public workshop and exhibition.

City Archivist Heidi McIntosh said: "The Banks’s Brewery collection tells the story of one of Wolverhampton’s most iconic industries and the generations of people whose lives it shaped.

"At a time when this history is still within living memory, preserving and sharing these records is vital. It preserves an irreplaceable record of a globally recognised Wolverhampton industry, supports diverse research and learning opportunities, enables meaningful public engagement, and contributes to understanding the social, cultural and industrial history of 20th century Britain."

Councillor Jeszemma Howl, the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Cabinet Member for Governance and Digital, added: "By cataloguing and opening up this collection, Wolverhampton City Archives will ensure its long-term preservation so it can be explored by current and future generations. It will help keep the city’s brewing history alive for Wulfrunians, and for people around the world."