Crowds gathered to watch the high-rise buildings brought crashing down in a series of controlled explosions during the late 90s and early 2000s. These retro photos show the towers and life on the estate, including children playing and a visit by then-Prime Minister Harold Wilson, from their construction in the 1960s to their demolition some four decades later.
All the photos featured are from The Star’s archives or courtesy of Picture Sheffield.
![Tower blocks on Sheffield's Norfolk Park estate in November 1966](https://www.thestar.co.uk/webimg/b25lY21zOjczYTU1NTk3LTg3OGYtNGNiYS1hNzgyLTQzYmRhM2Y5MDQzZDoxNDU2ZWIzMC1mMjU1LTRkNTMtOWJmNC00N2MxOTRlNmJjNWY=.png?crop=3:2&width=640)
9. High-rise life
Tower blocks on Sheffield's Norfolk Park estate in November 1966 Photo: Picture Sheffield
![Residents of the Grange tower block at Norfolk Park in Sheffield express their dismay at the council's plans to knock it down](https://www.thestar.co.uk/webimg/b25lY21zOjc3MTc5YjZhLTgxMGItNDdlMS04ZGE2LTQ1NjkxMjYyZGRkODpkYjZiOWJjOC02ZmViLTRlYWYtYjQ4Ni1mMmI4Y2U4MjU4NDY=.jpg?crop=3:2&width=640)
10. Hands off our tower
Residents of the Grange tower block at Norfolk Park in Sheffield express their dismay at the council's plans to knock it down Photo: DEAN ATKINS
![The tower blocks at Sheffield's Norfolk Park estate shortly before their demolition](https://www.thestar.co.uk/webimg/b25lY21zOjIxNDM0Njc5LTE2YzQtNDY2YS05MWM5LTFlYjdiYTNjY2JhYjpiNmRhYzJhNy05N2JmLTQ3MjctYjUzZi01YTg0NmI0NDVmZDk=.jpg?crop=3:2&width=640)
11. Last look
The tower blocks at Sheffield's Norfolk Park estate shortly before their demolition Photo: Mike Ford
![People gather to watch the Norfolk Park tower blocks Howard, Fitzalan and Granville being demolished in 1999. Spectators brought a polythene sheet with them to shelter from the falling dust](https://www.thestar.co.uk/webimg/b25lY21zOmQ4OTJjY2JlLTliM2MtNGQ4OC04MTgyLWQ5MWRkYjY2NTU4NjoyNmQ5YTZhYi0xNjA1LTQ2NTktODQ5ZC1hN2IwNjAyMTUyOTc=.jpg?crop=3:2&width=640)
12. Going, going, gone!
People gather to watch the Norfolk Park tower blocks Howard, Fitzalan and Granville being demolished in 1999. Spectators brought a polythene sheet with them to shelter from the falling dust Photo: Andrew Partridge