But anyone who lived through those days knows full well that although black and white photography was the most common way of documenting the city, the reality was just as colourful as Sheffield is today.
Now we have now used technology to add a dash colour to these 16 historic pictures of Sheffield, all taken before 1970, to transform images of how the city once looked in the days before colour photography was common.
Earlier this year, we applied a computer program to an initial 15 photographs to bring them into the age of colour. And now we have done the same for another 16 pictures, drawing on artificial intelligence to transform the pictures dating from the early days of the 20th century up to 1960.
The technology has worked better on some of the pictures than others. But we hope it brings some new life to them and helps today’s audience see Sheffield in colour, hopefully close to how it would have looked to those who saw the places and events in pictures as they happened all those years ago.
1. Last tram
Sheffield residents watch in the rain during the city's 'Last Tram' parade in 1960. The AI has brought out colour in their clothing Photo: Sheffield Newpapers
2. The King opens the university
King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra visit Sheffield in 1905, to open the University. The picture shows the Royal couple outside the Firth Building at Sheffield University. Picture taken from the Sheffield Newspapers book Sheffield since 1900 Photo: Sheffield Newspapers
3. Let's dance
The AI has brought out the colour well in the picture of the final of the rock 'n' roll contest at the 1960 Sheffield Telegraph farm grounds gala. Photo: Sheffield Newspapers
4. High Street
Horse drawn trams on High Street in 1900. Many of the buildings were lost in the Blitz Photo: Sheffield Newpapers