It was the decade in which a young Queen Elizabeth II ascended to the throne, and coronation parties were held across Sheffield.
She would reign for another 70 years, a constant in Britain's ever-changing socio-political landscape.
These photos show what things were like back then in Sheffield, and how the city has transformed in the decades since.
They capture life in all its variety, from the grit of coal mining, steel manufacturing and the power station in Neepsend, to the glamour of the Grand Hotel and the Locarno ballroom on London Road.
Some very important visitors are pictured, including Winston Churchill and the Duke of Edinburgh, while Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday stars are seen facing off in the pool at water polo.
This retro photo gallery features scenes from across Sheffield, from Fargate and Norfolk Street in the city centre to suburbs like Grenoside and High Green.
In a sign of how times were changing back then, the last coal is shown coming out of Thorncliffe Drift Colliery after almost 100 years of continuous working, while in Haymarket the opening of a new self-service store is captured.
1. Norfolk Street
Shops on Norfolk Street, Sheffield city centre, in August 1957 Photo: Sheffield Newspapers
2. The Gaumont
The Gaumont Regent Cinema, at Barker's Pool, Sheffield city centre, in January 1953 Photo: Sheffield Newspapers
3. Royal visit
The Duke of Edinburgh arriving at Sheffield Town Hall after opening the B.I.S.R.A. Laboratories in 1953 Photo: Sheffield Newspapers
