It was the year of Prince Charles’ wedding to Lady Diana Spencer, with street parties across Sheffield, and some making the journey to London to line the streets.
And closer to home, it was the year the Yorkshire ripper was arrested by South Yorkshire Police in Broomhall, Sheffield, and the famous bendy buses were launched on our streets.
There was a lot going on in 1981. But in the newspapers, it was still all being recorded in black and white photographs.
Now, we have used AI to take some of our old photos, and transform them from that original black and white that our photographers used 42 years ago, into colour for the very first time.
It means they now look closer than ever to how those who were there remember them. We have previously done similar transformations for pictures taken in 1967 and in 1975.
Included in our gallery of 37 fascinating pictures, we have found pictures of the BBC in Norfolk Park for the famous TV show of the time, Multi-coloured Swap Shop. There are pictures of people with flags heading to London to watch the Royal wedding.
And there are marches along streets that have transformed since those pictures were taken.
Now we have moved on a few years – but the pictures are just as beautiful.
Take a look and see what you remember in colour from 1981.
17. Retirement
Retirement presentation to Mr Norman Hanlon, Managing Director of Sanderson Kayser Limited, Newhall Road Sheffield, Mr Hanlon takes it easy in one of the garden chairs presented to him on behalf of the staff and workforce at the firm by Joe Reaney, Sales Manager of the finished products department, watched by the staff. Mr Hanlon was Master Cutler in 1975. March 25, 1981. Picture: Sheffield Newspapers Photo: Sheffield Newspapers
18. Bishop's House
The English Civil War Society, John Bright's Regiment of Foote, at Bishop's House in 1981. Picture: Sheffield Newspapers Photo: Sheffield Newspapers
19. Whit sing
The congregation fill the Taplin Road Baptist Church, Hillsborough, for the traditional Whit sing, which had to go indoors because of the wet weather, May 1981. Picture: Sheffield Newspapers Photo: Sheffield Newspapers
20. Crucible
Clare Venables, the new Artistic Director at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield, started rehearsal on her first production at the Crucible, and there was champagne for her, the cast, set designer, and author. Pictured left to right actors Michael Irving and Deborah Findlay, set designer Roger Glossop, author Rony Robinson, and Clare Venables serving champagne, December 29, 1981. Picture: Sheffield Newspapers Photo: Sheffield Newspapers