Nostalgic Journey: 37 Beautiful Photos of Childhood in Greater Manchester

These striking old photos show just how much childhood has changed through the generations.

Whether you grew up during the 1950s or you're an 80s kid from Greater Manchester, the way children play, learn and live has altered almost beyond recognition.

Before games consoles and social media, playing out in the street was how we spent their time after school and the summer holidays used to feel like an endless series of small adventures.

 

Taken from our archives, Mirrorpix, these images capture children at play in Greater Manchester from as early as the 1940s.

Some show children enjoying the Belle Vue Zoo, or playing football on the streets and playing in the snow.

Others capture youngsters meeting the likes of The Bee Gees, Coronation Street stars, footballer George Best and Prime Minister Winston Churchill.

 

Here are 38 photos that look back to childhoods past in Greater Manchester.

Do they awaken any memories for you? Let us know in the comments section below.

 

Fun in the snow. Ten-month-old Susan Torkington, of Regent Road, Stockport, gets a tow on the snow clad slopes of Lyme Park, Disley,Cheshire, from her three-year-old sister Linda. January 1960

Fun in the snow. Ten-month-old Susan Torkington, of Regent Road, Stockport, gets a tow on the snow-clad slopes of Lyme Park, Disley, Cheshire, from her three-year-old sister Linda. January 1960

 

Manchester Olympic Bid for the 1996 Games, September 1990. The leaders of the city's bid effort set off for Tokyo where the final decision was made. here an enthusiastic farewell for chairman Bob Scott and director Rick Parry from flag waving supporters in Albert Square. September 10, 1990

Manchester Olympic Bid for the 1996 Games, September 1990. The leaders of the city's bid effort are about to set off for Tokyo where the final decision is to be made. Chairman Bob Scott and director Rick Parry get an enthusiastic farewell from flag waving supporters in Albert Square. September 10, 1990

 

Minnie Caldwell (Margot Bryant) at the Corrie Christmas panto, December 1964

Minnie Caldwell (Margot Bryant) at the Corrie Christmas panto, December 1964

 

Ena Sharples (Violet Carson) joins the panto fun, Christmas 1964

Ena Sharples (Violet Carson) joins the panto fun, Christmas 1964

 

The Hatton triplets from Manchester, Deborah, Sharon and Allison with the Quilty triplets, Anthony, Bernard and Frank, October 29, 1964

The Hatton triplets from Manchester, Deborah, Sharon and Allison with the Quilty triplets, Anthony, Bernard and Frank, October 29, 1964

 

Youngsters play cricket in the puddles outside Old Trafford, July 1964

Youngsters play cricket in the puddles outside Old Trafford, July 1964

 

For the last few weeks at the St Luke's Primary School, Manchester have been putting away threepence a week to go on a picnic with a difference, for this is a picnic in the snow. These kiddies never see proper snow because it soon gets dirty in the centre of the city, so the headmistress Miss Ethel Parkinson decided to organise this trip for them. January 17, 1959

For the last few weeks pupils at the St Luke's Primary School, Longsight, Manchester have been putting away threepence a week to go on a picnic with a difference, for this is a picnic in the snow. These kiddies never see proper snow because it soon gets dirty in the centre of the city, so the headmistress Miss Ethel Parkinson decided to organise this trip for them. January 17, 1959

 

Manchester school children dressed as snowflakes for their school's pantomime. December 1982

Manchester school children dressed as snowflakes for their school's pantomime. December 1982

 

Its great being circus kids for Carol aged 4 and Grace aged 2 daughters of clown Carlos McManus from Plymouth. For whilst mums away Carlos gets the job of looking after the kids and they can be a handful. Carol plays with daddies false nose and shows her sister Grace how well she can balance. For she hopes to be a circus artist herself when she grows up. They arrived in Manchester to take part in the Belle Vue Circus. December 1969

Its great being circus kids for Carol aged 4 and Grace aged 2, daughters of clown Carlos McManus from Plymouth. For whilst mums away, Carlos gets the job of looking after the kids - and they can be a handful. Carol plays with daddy's false nose and shows her sister Grace how well she can balance, for she hopes to be a circus artist herself when she grows up. They arrived in Manchester to take part in the Belle Vue Circus. December 1969

 

A little girl in a Manchester department store is upset by the doves in Santa's Grotto when one lands on her head. December 1954

A little girl in a Manchester department store is upset by the doves in Santa's Grotto when one lands on her head. December 1954

 

Two pupils of Ross Place School, Ardwick, Manchester, jump across a sea of mud to enter school. December 11, 1970

Two pupils of Ross Place School, Ardwick, Manchester, jump across a sea of mud to enter school. December 11, 1970

Prime Minister Winston Churchill sitting on the back of an open car on his surprise visit to Manchester during the Second World War, April 1941. Here he stops to share a joke on his way through Chorlton

 

Prime Minister Winston Churchill sitting on the back of an open car on his surprise visit to Manchester during the Second World War, April 1941. Here he stops to share a joke on his way through Chorlton

Children continue to play games and enjoy adventures, even amongst the desolation caused by German Luftwaffe air raids in Manchester, northern England during the Second World War. June 25, 1943

Children continue to play games and enjoy adventures, even amongst the desolation caused by German Luftwaffe air raids in Manchester during the Second World War. June 25, 1943

 

Children learning from Terry Hall and Lenny the Lion, October 1969

Children learning from Terry Hall and Lenny the Lion, October 1969

Children from St Lukes Primary School in Manchester are having a ball sledging and playing in a batch of freshly fallen snow. January 1959

 

Children from St Luke's Primary School in Manchester are having a ball sledging and playing in a batch of freshly fallen snow. January 1959

Rochdale Canal at Ancoats in June 1971. Children paddle happily in the safe waters of the Rochdale Canal at Ancoats

Rochdale Canal at Ancoats in June 1971. Children paddle happily

Nicholas the hippo at Belle Vue Zoo in Manchester, Greater Manchester, is fed with a cake brought for him by some Birmingham children. June 1960

 

Nicholas the hippo at Belle Vue Zoo in Manchester, Greater Manchester, is fed with a cake brought for him by some Birmingham children. June 1960

Caribbean Festival, Alexandra Park, Manchester. May 28, 1973

Caribbean Festival, Alexandra Park, Manchester. May 28, 1973

Whit Walks Manchester A group of young lads seen here in their neighbourhood before taking part in the Manchester Whit Walk parade. June 1960

 

A group of young lads seen here in their neighbourhood before taking part in the Manchester Whit Walk parade. June 1960

Children playing football in Archie Street, Manchester. Archie Street was the inspiration behind Coronation Street. June 12, 1967

Children playing football in Archie Street, Salford. Archie Street was the inspiration for Coronation Street. June 12, 1967

Children playing football in Archie Street, Manchester. Archie Street was the inspiration behind Coronation Street. June 12, 1967

 

Children playing football in Archie Street, Salford

A visit to Belle Vue Zoo, Manchester with Topaz the chimp was part of the prize for these Cheshire schoolchildren who collected over 50 tons of waste paper, which is made into "shredabed" for the animals. November 30, 1976

A visit to Belle Vue Zoo, Manchester with Topaz the chimp was part of the prize for these Cheshire schoolchildren, who collected over 50 tons of waste paper, which is made into "shred-a-bed" for the animals. November 30, 1976

Little girl Jane Weaver makes fast time on the ice at the frozen Lindow Common in Wilmslow

 

Little Jane Weaver makes fast time on the ice at the frozen Lindow Common in Wilmslow, Cheshire

When 45 children from Wood Street Mission in Manchester were invited to take part in a "Coronation Street" pantomime they really had a "Cinderella" ball. Philip Lowrie (aka Dennis Tanner) playing with the children's toys. December 18, 1964

When 45 children from Wood Street Mission in Manchester were invited to take part in a Coronation Street pantomime they really had a ball. Philip Lowrie (aka Dennis Tanner) playing with the children's toys. December 18, 1964

Children playing outside slum housing Number Two Court, Dickenson Street, Oldham. June 1, 1962

 

Children playing outside slum housing, Number Two Court, Dickenson Street, Oldham. June 1, 1962

The Bee Gees return home to Manchester November 1981. Pictured at former school, Oswald Road Country Primary School. From left to right: Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb & Maurice Gibb

The Bee Gees return home to Manchester November 1981. Pictured at their former school, Oswald Road Primary School, Chorlton. From left to right: Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb & Maurice Gibb

 

Some of the 180 children play in the small corridor at Sacred Heart RC school, Gorton, Manchester, the only place to use when rain stops them playing out. The teachers also have to use the corridor as a staff room for their tea break. December 1970

Some of the 180 pupils play in the small corridor at Sacred Heart RC school, Gorton, Manchester, the only place to use when rain stops them playing out. The teachers also have to use the corridor as a staff room for their tea break. December 1970

General views of people in Salford, Manchester. July 16, 1974

 

Salford, July 16, 1974

George Best enjoys a game of street cricket at his old digs on Aycliffe Avenue, May 1968

George Best enjoys a game of street cricket at his old digs on Aycliffe Avenue, Chorlton, May 1968

 

Children prepare bonfire ahead of evening celebrations. November 5, 1962

Children a prepare bonfire ahead of evening celebrations. November 5, 1962

Street football on Moss Side with the new university complex in the background, December 1973

 

Street football in Moss Side with the new university complex in the background, December 1973

Manchester Church of England Whit Monday walks. Angela Lane, aged 4, of St Matthews Mission Manchester yawns as she waits to make the walk from Albert Square, Manchester. June 3, 1963

Manchester's Church of England Whit Monday walks. Angela Lane, aged 4, of St Matthew's Mission, Manchester, yawns as she waits to make the walk from Albert Square, Manchester. June 3, 1963

 

Caribbean Festival, Alexandra Park, Manchester. May 28, 1973

Caribbean Festival, Alexandra Park, Manchester. May 28, 1973

Streamers and flags are waved by residents of this Manchester street when fifty children held an open air victory party during VE Day celebrations to mark the Allied victory in Europe at the end of the Second World War, 8th May 1945, cakes and sandwiches were on the menu and the waiters, including an evacuee mother from Shoreditch, wore Union Jack aprons

 

Streamers and flags are waved by residents of this Manchester street when fifty children hold an open air victory party during VE Day celebrations to mark the Allied victory in Europe at the end of the Second World War, 8th May 1945. Cakes and sandwiches are on the menu and the waiters, including an evacuee mother from Shoreditch, wear Union Jack aprons

Slum housing in Salford. April 3, 1960

Slum housing in Salford. April 3, 1960Children playing football in Archie Street, Manchester. Archie Street was the inspiration behind Coronation Street. June 12, 1967

 

A game of footie at Archie Street, Salford. June 12, 1967

Children in a Manchester suburb warm themselves by a fire outside wrecked houses during Second World War. March 13, 1941

Children in a Manchester suburb warm themselves by a fire outside wrecked houses during World War II. March 13, 1941