Family Photographes

[iolaus]

I've had some from family members - one was after a random facebook message saying 'are we related you have the same surname as my gran's maiden name and live in the same town' - turned out his grandfather was my grandmothers little brother (she had lost touch with the family - he was under the impression his grandfathers sisters had both died - one had the other obviously hadn't - however she had a child before getting married (and kept her) in 1928 (the brother would have been 10, maybe he was told she died to stop him asking questions)

Also I discovered from the 1911 census my great, great grandfather was in an asylum - I then contacted them and got his records - and that included a photograph!

Another more distant relative was sent to Australia in the child migration programme - there was a photo of him linked on there

[Rena]

In 1945 my father brought home a large photo, taken by the company he worked for, of all the factory workers.  Since then, I see that many other employers also had official photos taken of the people who worked for the railways, in the factories & offices during WWII.

I've found several photos of my family on a couple of Facebook groups that I'm a member of, one being a county FB page and the other being a town FB page.  One photo was taken at Christmas in a 1920s factory and one of the ladies was my mother's sister.   Another of her sisters was found online also taken in the 1920s when she was part of a youth group. Goodness knows how many photos of my brother's M-I-L I've seen at village fairs in the 1950s 

I always tick that I like a photo that somebody posts of a street scene, or a factory outing, a local summer fete, a church outing, a school group, or a large wedding group, etc.  I might not know the street or the people, but its amazing how many names are contributed by people who see the old pictures and it's one way of discovering ancestors.   

I also visit one historic FB webpage every day because they daily post images of their area, some of which are 19th century photos and often put names to people in the images.

[Rosinish]

As mentioned earlier, you never know what may turn up, what people post or where...

An example I see posted (on another thread) literally within the last hour...

www.familysearch.org/photos/artifacts/32620097

Annie

[Erato]

I wouldn't give up on the internet but you have to keep at it because new things are uploaded every day.  One day, you might strike it lucky.  And the photos can be in weird places.  For example, I found one ancestor's picture on a township plat map - the mapmaker had portrayed 'notable' local individuals around the edges of the map and, since it was a sparsely populated place, they didn't have to be very notable.  I found pictures of two ancestral farm houses on the maps, as well.

[Mowsehowse]

Another great great grandfather I found was a postmaster, so hopeful in finding something ended up traveling to the village and asking around about old photos in the village of the past, found lots but none was of him....I still have hope as he stole from the PO was convicted so although I have found all his arrest and assizes records I have yet to find his actual prison record which I think there is likely to be a photo of him in. 

Iluleah: Keep your fingers crossed that g.g.grandpa was transported to Australia, they have a marvellous bank of convict photographs! 

[iluleah]

Another great great grandfather I found was a postmaster, so hopeful in finding something ended up traveling to the village and asking around about old photos in the village of the past, found lots but none was of him....I still have hope as he stole from the PO was convicted so although I have found all his arrest and assizes records I have yet to find his actual prison record which I think there is likely to be a photo of him in. 

Iluleah: Keep your fingers crossed that g.g.grandpa was transported to Australia, they have a marvellous bank of convict photographs! 

Oh yes that would have been nice for me in researching if only to get a photo, but it was after transportation ended and for his crime in 1876 I don't think he would have been transported but hung as his crime was against the Crown as he worked for the PO and stole a £20 money order.
I know the prison he was at and have been looking for the prison records, the TNA tell me they are archived in Surrey, Surrey tell me they are at the TNA, I have been back and forwards for years and he died back at home in 1888.

[cristeen]

It may be worth contacting local museums also. In the archives at Beamish is a family album from my OH side. I know this from the descriptions of the photographs, some of which I have copies. Unfortunately it has not yet been digitised and my attempts to contact the archivist have been fruitless to date. However I know it's there, I guess it was donated after someone's death.

[rayard]

I found some photos of ancestors who had emigrated to Canada, on Findagrave.
rayard.

[aghadowey]

Family photographs can turn up in the strangest places 

A number of years ago when mother-in-law's 2nd cousin died (a bachelor and only child) the executor (first cousin once removed) wasn't interested in family pictures so solicitor asked a close friend of deceased to sort through papers. Fortunately I was able to make contact with the friend and offered boxes of lovely photographs, including quite a few of my mother-in-law and her siblings which we didn't have.