Gordon Semple (3) meets the 5.5 foot toy horse costing £700 on display at Jenners Department Store in October 1983.Gordon Semple (3) meets the 5.5 foot toy horse costing £700 on display at Jenners Department Store in October 1983.
Gordon Semple (3) meets the 5.5 foot toy horse costing £700 on display at Jenners Department Store in October 1983.

Edinburgh in the Eighties: Here are 22 pictures to transport you back to life in the Capital in 1983 - including a royal visit and a notorious murder investigation

They may have been taken almost 40 years ago, but there are still plenty of familiar faces and places in these fascinating pictures from the archives.

Events making the headlines in 1983 included the ongoing Cold War, ‘red rain’ falling on the UK caused by sand from the Sahara Desert, and the space shuttle Challenger making a successful maiden voyage.

On television viewers were tuning into the first episodes of ‘The Bill’, ‘The Blackadder’ and ‘Blockbusters’, while at the cinema ‘Star Wars: Return of the Jedi’ and ‘Octopussy’ saw film fans queue around the block for the first screenings.

In the music charts Culture Club had the best-selling single of the year with ‘Karma Chameleon’, followed by ‘Uptown Girl’ by Billy Joel, UB40's ‘Red Red Wine’, ‘Let's Dance’ from David Bowie, and Bonnie Tyler’s ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’.

There was more good news for music lovers, with the first Compact Disc players going on sale on the High Street.

And there was plenty going on in Edinburgh, including some showbiz sparkle, a notorious murder investigation and a royal visit.

Here are 22 pictures to take you back to Scotland’s Capital in 1983.

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In the music charts Culture Club had the best-selling single of the year with ‘Karma Chameleon’, followed by ‘Uptown Girl’ by Billy Joel, UB40's ‘Red Red Wine’, ‘Let's Dance’ from David Bowie, and Bonnie Tyler’s ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’.

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