They take you decade by decade from 1851 to 2021, during which time the city’s population more than trebled from 161,475 to 556,500. Norfolk Market Hall, Goodwin Fountain at the top of Fargate, the Royal Hospital on West Street, and Sheaf Market are just some of the lost sights pictured.
This retro photo gallery reveals how the city’s population has changed decade by decade, starting in 1851, with a rapid rise during the steel industry’s boom days followed by a slight decline as the economy suffered a downturn.
Sheffield’s population is again on the rise, according to the latest Census figures, though it remains below its peak in 1951.
Our gallery only starts in 1851, but, according to Sheffield City Council’s data, the population stood at around 150-200 in 1086, 2,200 in 1379, and 3,000 in 1692.
It then started to rise more rapidly, to 5,000 in 1692, 9,695 in 1736, 20,000 in 1750, and 60,095 in 1801.
1. 1851 - 161,475
Norfolk Market Hall, on Haymarket, Sheffield, was built in 1851. Sheffield's population that year was 161,574 | Sheffield Newspapers Photo: Sheffield Newspapers
2. 1861 - 219,634
A Whitsuntide procession on Brightmore Street, Netherthorpe, in 1861, when Sheffield's population was 219,634 | Picture Sheffield Photo: Picture Sheffield
3. 1871 - 277,794
Fitzalan Market Hall and Ebenezer Elliott Monument, at Market Place/Angel, Sheffield city centre, in 1871, when Sheffield's population stood at 277,794 | Picture Sheffield/Rock and Co., London Photo: Picture Sheffield/Rock and Co., London
4. 1881 - 335,953
The Corn Exchange, in Sheffield city centre, was built in 1881. Sheffield's population at that time was 335,953 | Picture Sheffield/H.W. Brewer Photo: Picture Sheffield/H.W. Brewer