Almost fifty years ago, 1972 was a memorable year when a state of emergency was declared due to the miners’ strike and Penrith & the Border MP Willie Whitelaw was appointed as the first Northern Ireland Secretary in the midst of the troubles in the province.

The final stretch of the M6 motorway opened between junctions 6 (Spaghetti Junction) and 7 north of Birmingham, with the motorway stretching more than 200 miles from Rugby to Carlisle.

If you were a teenager then you might remember that 1972 was the year the school-leaving age was raised to 16. Leeds United won the FA Cup for the first time and the first episode of Emmerdale Farm was broadcast on ITV.

The charts featured a mix of music with number ones ranging from Little Jimmy Osmond’s Long Haired Lover from Liverpool and Amazing Grace by the Royal Scots Guards’ military band. Our photos reflect what was happening back in what was still Cumberland in 1972.