But we have used artificial intelligence apps to inject some colour into iconic pictures of the city dating back from the early 20th century, and into the 1960s, showing new, colourised versions of some famous black and white images of the city.
The idea is to make them look a little more like the world people really saw at the time.
We did this by putting archive pictures, many taken from The Star’s 1988 book, Sheffield since 1900, through a modern computer program, designed to bring them to life with colour.
They range from the Sheffield Blitz to the Beatles at City Hall.
The results? Some are stunning. Browse through our gallery and see what you think.
5. Screenshot 2023-06-08 16.00.54.jpg
There are few bright shades in this colourised picture of the Spic Garage, on Attercliffe Roadon budget night, 1951. Picture from Sheffield Since 1900. Photo: Sheffield Newspapers
6. Screenshot 2023-06-08 13.18.30.jpg
This colourised picture of a tram under Attercliffe Road railway drab makes Sheffield look grey in the late 1920s. PIcture from Sheffield Since 1900 Photo: Attercliffe Road
7. Tram
Colourised picture of an early Sheffield tram, in the early 1900s. Picture from Sheffield Since 1900 Photo: Sheffield Newspapers
8. Great Yorkshire Show
Traces of colour on the tram were picked out by the AI on this tram, decorated to mark the holding the the Great Yorkshire Show in Sheffield in 1935. Picture from Sheffield Since 1900. Photo: Sheffield Newspapers