ALTHOUGH those pictured on these pages were happy and smiley while snapped, 1981 was a tough time for a lot of people.

The world was stuck in the vice-like grip of a recession, and the UK was certainly no exception.

Unemployment reached 2,680,977 which equated to one in nine of the workforce. It was the highest rate of unemployment in more than 50 years and was steadily rising.

Despite receiving financial support from the government earlier in the year, the partly nationalised car manufacturer British Leyland announced the closure of three factories on October 12. More than 3,000 jobs were lost when the Coventry Courthouse Green, Leicester Rearsby and Liverpool Speke plants were closed.

In 1981 Poole Majorettes celebrated at their Oakdale practice hall in Poole after winning trophies at the southern area championships in Southampton. 

On April 2, the iconic Birmingham-based bus operator Midland Red closed its headquarters with the loss of around 170 jobs.

More than 100,000 people from across marched to Trafalgar Square, London to join TUC's March For Jobs.