It was the year the city’s own Human League topped the charts with Don’t You Want Me Baby, and that streets all across the city celebrated Prince Charles’ wedding to Lady Diana Spencer with street parties.
On the television, youngsters were watching Swap Shop and Tiswas at the weekends.
There was a lot going on in Sheffield 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 images that our photographers produced 42 years ago, into colour for the very first time.
We used the Pallete FM app to colourise them.
It means they now look closer than ever to how those who were there remember them.
Included in our gallery of 40 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.
Some of the pictures just capture the city’s streets as they appeared, 43 years ago.
Take a look and see what you remember, in colour, from 1981.

1. Transformed into colour
We have tranformed black and white picture of Sheffield in 1981, using AI. Have a look below. | National World Photo: National World

2. Jobs march
Protesters on the People's March for Jobs make their way through the Wicker Arches on their way to a meeting at the City Hall, Sheffield, May 1981. Picture: Sheffield Newspapers | Sheffield Newspapers Photo: Sheffield Newspapers

3. The Moor
The Moor in 1981 near the Blaskeys wallpaper shop and Currys. Photo: Dennis Lound, Sheffield Newpapers | Sheffield Newpapers Photo: Dennis Lound,
