Inside the new Marples Hotel, Sheffield, in 1959placeholder image
Inside the new Marples Hotel, Sheffield, in 1959 | Sheffield Newspapers

Sheffield retro: 34 atmospheric photos showing how different the city looked in the late 50s

It was a time of great change across the UK, and Sheffield was no exception.

The late 1950s witnessed the shift from post-war austerity, with rationing finally over, to the glamour and excitement of the swinging 60s.

This retro photo gallery captures life in Sheffield at the tail-end of the 50s, from lost landmarks like the Tinsley Towers and Jessop Hospital to popular pubs and shops of the day.

They show the changes taking place around the city at the time, including the last days of the famous Norfolk Market Hall and the long-awaited reopening of the Marples Hotel, which finally rose again from the rubble of the Sheffield Blitz.

Some of Sheffield’s best-known streets and public spaces, including Fargate, London Road, The Moor and the Peace Gardens, are seen looking very different in these nostalgic images.

As well as scenes of everyday life, these photos show the catastrophic floods of 1958, which caused huge damage around the city.

Do these photos bring back any memories for you? Let us know in the comments section.

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