Ancestor - Sources of images and illustrations

Sources of images and illustrations and further reading

Ancestor, Sept 2026 â€˜How-to’ article by Jane MacIsaac, Sept 2026.

Further reading

Alison Dennison, ‘Getting it write: using maps to enhance your stories’, Ancestor Vol 37 Issue 6, Jun 2025, pp40-41

Findmypast, 30 pro tips for making the most of old family photos,

Ian McKellar, ‘Getting it write: mapping for family histories’, Ancestor Vol 30, Issue 8, Dec 2011, pp41-43

Martin Playne, ‘Getting it write: selecting, obtaining and using images and making your own maps’, Ancestor Vol 32 Issue 5, Mar 2015, pp36-37

William Barlow, ‘Getting it write: publishing images in your family history’, Ancestor, Vol 28, Issue 6, Jun 2007, p33

William Barlow, ‘Getting it write: integrating a tree in your writing’, Ancestor Vol 35 Issue 6, Jun 2021, pp40-41

Dawn Roode, ‘The best graphics to add to your family history book’, Modern Heirloom Books, accessed 5 Feb 2026

Jennifer Rizzo, ‘The art of blending photos and stories to create a compelling family history book’, 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 – 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 – 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

https://vwma.org.au

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

https://www.sea.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

https://history.sa.gov.au

Strong collection of local photographs and community history.

Occupations and Everyday Life

Museums of History NSW Collections

https://mhnsw.au

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

https://www.library.gov.au

Historic maps and town plans.

Old Maps Online

https://www.oldmapsonline.org

Useful for illustrating where ancestors lived.

Public Record Office Victoria

https://prov.vic.gov.au

Contains digitised plans, parish maps, rate books and government records.

Railway Ancestors

Victorian Railways Collection (State Library Victoria)

https://www.slv.vic.gov.au

Extensive railway photographs.

Australian Railway Historical Society

https://arhsnsw.com.au

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

https://commons.wikimedia.org

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

https://www.francisfrith.com

  • 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

https://maps.nls.uk

  • 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

https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk

  • Historical photographs, maps, and archival resources.

Trove.scot

https://www.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

https://www.nli.ie

  • Historical photographs, postcards, maps, manuscripts, and local history collections.
  • Particularly valuable for illustrating Irish communities before large-scale migration.

DĂșchas

https://www.duchas.ie

  • 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-gui


 

List of sources above created using Microsoft Copilot 4 July 2026, and then checked by Jane MacIsaac. Links correct as at 4 July 2026.