A fresh wave of rock music stormed the charts; the miniskirt and other bold style statements shook up the fashion scene; and the pill ushered in a new era of sexual liberation.
But while the 60s marked the start of the financial boom that followed years of austerity, many households continued to experience post-war privations well into the decade.
These photos capture life as it really was back then for people in and around Leeds.
They show how different the streets looked in the 60s, including many of the lost landmarks only citizens of a certain age will remember.
Schofields department store, the Empire theatre, and the open-air swimming pool at Roundhay Park are among the much-missed city institutions pictured.
Modern trends and new high-rise developments sit alongside age-old traditions in this retro photo gallery, which captures couples sweeping gracefully across the ballroom, players deep in concentration at the bingo hall, and the popular Easter pastime of egg rolling, or ‘jarping’.
These nostalgic black-and-white images also show the broad spectrum of life around Leeds at the time, from the majesty of the Imperial Hotel, pictured during its final days, to the everyday sight of refuse collectors on their daily rounds.
Do these photos bring back any memories for you, and which lost landmarks do you miss most?
37. Firefighting
New firefighting and rescue vehicles, valued at about £7,000, are delivered to Leeds Bradford Airport in January 1960 | YPN
38. Mass radiography
Residents in the Duxbury Street (Camp Road) area of Leeds queue to enter the mass radiography mobile unit, run by the Leeds Regional Hospital Board, which was touring the district holding street sessions, in July 1960 | YPN
40. Boat Inn
The Boat Inn, by the River Aire, in Allerton Bywater, pictured in October 1960 | YPN
41. Circus
Elephants at Smart's Circus, on Woodhouse Moor, Leeds, in August 1960 | YPN Photo: Laurie Mercer