WELCOME to bygones as we invite our beloved readers to join us on a trip through time back to the 1980s.

The 1980s were a decade of seismic shifts on the global stage, marked by a tense Cold War, economic upheavals, and revolutions reshaping the world order.

The decade opened with the Iran hostage crisis, a stark reminder of the volatile Middle East and the US’s growing influence in the region.

Ellesmere School sports day memories from 1984.

Marbury Fayre in 1984.

OTHER NEWS:

Ronald Reagan’s ascendancy in 1981 ushered in a period of assertive American foreign policy, marked by a renewed focus on military strength, anti-communism, and interventionism, epitomised by the invasion of Grenada and the support for the Contras in Nicaragua.

The Soviet Union, under the leadership of Mikhail Gorbachev, embarked on a period of reform with Perestroika and Glasnost, gradually easing tensions with the West.

Arddleen Mission Church gathering in 1984.

Croeswylan School pupils in 1984.

In 1989 the Berlin Wall fell, a symbolic victory for democracy and freedom, marking the beginning of the end of the Cold War.

Meanwhile, the global economy experienced a period of unprecedented growth, fuelled by technological advancements and globalization.

However, the decade also witnessed the rise of neoliberalism, leading to economic inequality and social unrest.

Pupils from Criftins School in Ellesmere in 1982.

Chirk prep school memories from 1982.

In Latin America, the fall of authoritarian regimes in Argentina and Chile paved the way for democratic reforms.

Africa continued to grapple with political instability and economic hardship, while the Asian economic boom took root, laying the foundation for a new global power dynamic.

The 1980s were a decade of contradictions, a period of both hope and fear, a time of upheaval and transformation that irrevocably altered the course of global history.

Oswestry Junior School Quiz team in 1982.

Meanwhile life in Shropshire continued as ever.

We begin with a picture of Marbury Fayre in 1984.

Next we share a picture of pupils from Ellesmere’s Criftins School in 1982 and a picture of pupils from Queens Park playgroup in 1986.

Our final picture on the facing page shows Croeswylan School athletes in 1984.

Queens Park playgroup in 1986.

Two little girls on their way to Morda School Harvest Festival in 1980.

Pupils who took part in Ellesmere School sports day from 1984 are pictured while we also share a picture of Oswestry Junior School quiz team in 1982.

Our next picture shows Morda School pupils enjoying harvest in 1980 before we head to Chirk playgroup in 1982.

Our final picture shows an Arddleen Mission School gathering in 1984.