Britain’s coal miners were on strike, plans for the M54 sparked protests, and communities across Shropshire were adapting to a changing world in 1972.
In this collection of archive pictures, we look back at a year of big events and everyday moments - from pupils rolling up their sleeves to clean their school swimming pool in Dawley, to the opening of new homes, a new police station and the first steps towards Telford’s developing town centre.
There were also plenty of reminders of daily life in the county, including a ‘paraffin perm’ in Kinnerley during a power cut, miners returning to work at Granville Colliery, and youngsters enjoying unusual opportunities at school and in their communities.
These photographs from the Shropshire Star archive capture the people, places and stories that shaped Shropshire in 1972. Do you remember any of these scenes, or can you spot someone you know? Tell us in the comments.
Did you see our gallery looking back at the 1990s? Take a look here.
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5. Lydebrook Dingle, 1972
An aerial view captures opencast coal mining at Coalmoor in April 1972, with work taking place at Lydebrook Dingle near the Horsehay to Little Wenlock road. The landscape of Shropshire has changed greatly over the years - do you remember this site being transformed by industry, or watching the work take place? | Shropshire Star archive
6. Ironbridge Power Station, 1972
Shropshire miners brave the falling snow as they picketed outside Ironbridge Power Station on February 1, 1972. Among those pictured is Herbie Hirst, an NUM official at Granville Colliery, during a period of industrial action that brought miners together across the county. Do you remember the strikes of the early 1970s, or the role the pits played in Shropshire communities? | Shropshire Star archive
7. Market Drayton, 1972
A brief snow shower transformed the countryside around Market Drayton into a winter scene on November 18, 1972. The snow soon disappeared in the autumn sunshine, but it offered a reminder of the colder days ahead. Do you remember unexpected snowfalls like this, or the winters of the 1970s? | Shropshire Star archive
8. Tong, 1972
Local opposition to the southern route of the M54 motorway saw protesters take to the streets of Tong in February 1972. The planned road brought debate about the future of the landscape and communities it would pass through. Do you remember the campaign, or how the area looked before the motorway was built? | Shropshire Star archive