Sources of images and illustrations and further reading
Ancestor, Sept 2026 âHow-toâ article by Jane MacIsaac, Sept 2026.
Further reading
Alison Dennison, âGetting it write: using maps to enhance your storiesâ, Ancestor Vol 37 Issue 6, Jun 2025, pp40-41
Findmypast, 30 pro tips for making the most of old family photos,
Ian McKellar, âGetting it write: mapping for family historiesâ, Ancestor Vol 30, Issue 8, Dec 2011, pp41-43
Martin Playne, âGetting it write: selecting, obtaining and using images and making your own mapsâ, Ancestor Vol 32 Issue 5, Mar 2015, pp36-37
William Barlow, âGetting it write: publishing images in your family historyâ, Ancestor, Vol 28, Issue 6, Jun 2007, p33
William Barlow, âGetting it write: integrating a tree in your writingâ, Ancestor Vol 35 Issue 6, Jun 2021, pp40-41
Dawn Roode, âThe best graphics to add to your family history bookâ, Modern Heirloom Books, accessed 5 Feb 2026
Jennifer Rizzo, âThe art of blending photos and stories to create a compelling family history bookâ, 24 Feb 2025, The Writers for Hire, accessed 5 Feb 2026
Jan-Ole Schmidt, What is a digital image? Whitewall, accessed 26 Mar 2026
Sources for Australian Images
Trove
The best starting point for almost any Australian family history image search. Includes photographs, postcards, maps, illustrations, newspapers, and artefacts from hundreds of institutions. https://trove.nla.gov.au
National Library of Australia â Pictures Collection
Contains more than 1.6 million images documenting Australian people, places, events and everyday life.
https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/catalog
https://www.library.gov.au/discover/what-we-collect/pictures
https://www.library.gov.au/discover/explore-by-format/photographs
State Library Victoria â Copyright-Free Images
Over 230,000 copyright-free historical images, including photographs, maps, posters and drawings.
https://www.slv.vic.gov.au/images
https://www.slv.vic.gov.au/search-discover/explore-our-online-galleries/
https://www.slv.vic.gov.au/search-discover/explore-collections-format/pictures/photographs
Many local historical societies have contributed images on SLV Blog: https://blogs.slv.vic.gov.au/terms/pictures-collection/
Wikimedia Commons
A huge collection of freely usable media files to which anyone can contribute
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Australia
Military Ancestors
Australian War Memorial
https://www.awm.gov.au/digital-collection
Extensive collection of photographs, unit images, portraits, nursing services, home front activities and military life.
Virtual War Memorial Australia
Photographs of service personnel, memorials, biographies and military records.
Migration and Shipping
Museums Victoria Collections
https://collections.museumsvictoria.com.au
Contains photographs of migrants, ships, occupations, household items and Melbourne life.
Australian National Maritime Museum
Useful for migrant ships, maritime occupations, ports and coastal life.
The Ships List
https://eresources.sl.nsw.gov.au/theshipslist
Historical information and images of emigrant vessels.
Local Places and Communities
Victorian Collections
https://victoriancollections.net.au
Outstanding resource for rural Victoria, local museums, community groups, schools and sporting clubs.
History Trust of South Australia
Strong collection of local photographs and community history.
Occupations and Everyday Life
Museums of History NSW Collections
Useful for:
- trades
- workplaces
- factories
- domestic life
- urban history
Powerhouse Museum Collection
https://collection.maas.museum
Excellent for images of:
- clothing
- technology
- trades
- transport
- household objects
Maps and Land Records
National Library Map Collection
Historic maps and town plans.
Old Maps Online
Useful for illustrating where ancestors lived.
Public Record Office Victoria
Contains digitised plans, parish maps, rate books and government records.
Railway Ancestors
Victorian Railways Collection (State Library Victoria)
Extensive railway photographs.
Australian Railway Historical Society
Useful if ancestors worked on railways. $$
School and University Collections
University of Melbourne Archives
https://archives.unimelb.edu.au
School historical societies
Many have digitised:
- class photos
- sports teams
- cadets
- school buildings
Facebook pages and groups with a history focus
A few examples:
- The Lost History of Melbourne/Victoria & Its Pioneers
- Melbourne & Victoria - Through the Decades
- Pioneers Victoria
- Old Australian photos
- Old Time Photos of Yesteryear
- Vintage Victoria (Australia) Heritage, History & Memories
- The History of the Old Lost Western Suburbs of Melbourne
- Yesteryears Memories of life in the UK
- Cornwall The Past in Pictures
- UK pub history
Free-to-Use Images
Wikimedia Commons
A valuable source for:
- Australian towns
- historic buildings
- monuments
- transport
- landscapes
Check licence details before publication.
Sources for English, Scottish and Irish images
England
Historic England Archive
https://historicengland.org.uk/images-books/archive/
- Millions of photographs documenting English towns, villages, churches, houses, industries, and landscapes.
- Particularly useful for illustrating ancestral hometowns and occupations.
The National Archives (UK)
https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
- Maps, military images, workhouse records, and historical photographs.
- Useful for ancestors who served in the military, worked in government service, or emigrated from England.
Britain from Above
https://www.britainfromabove.org.uk
- Aerial photographs of Britain from 1919 onwards.
- Excellent for locating ancestral neighbourhoods and villages.
Francis Frith Collection
- Historic photographs of thousands of English towns and villages.
- One of the best sources for illustrating where ancestors lived before migration.
Scotland
National Library of Scotland
- One of the world's best collections of historical maps.
- Includes detailed county, parish, and town maps that help place ancestors in their local landscape.
Scottish Archive Network
https://catalogue.nrscotland.gov.uk/scancatalogue/welcome.aspx
- Access point for Scottish archival collections and historical records.
National Records of Scotland
- Historical photographs, maps, and archival resources.
Trove.scot
- Historic Environment Scotland's archive.
- Contains photographs of buildings, churches, farms, castles, villages.
- One of the best sources for illustrating where ancestors lived before migration.
Ireland
National Library of Ireland Digital Collections
- Historical photographs, postcards, maps, manuscripts, and local history collections.
- Particularly valuable for illustrating Irish communities before large-scale migration.
DĂșchas
- Folklore, local history, traditions, place names, and community stories.
- Useful for adding social and cultural context to family narratives.
Historical Newspapers with Images
British Newspaper Archive
https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk
- Local newspapers from England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland.
- Can reveal photographs, advertisements, sporting teams, workplaces, and community events connected to ancestors.
What is the 3-2-1 backup strategy?
https://www.acronis.com/en/blog/posts/backup-rule/
https://camera-digitize-archive.com/2025/12/08/fthe-beginners-3-2-1-guiâŠ
List of sources above created using Microsoft Copilot 4 July 2026, and then checked by Jane MacIsaac. Links correct as at 4 July 2026.