Photographic records

Some of our major photographic collections include:

• Photographs of war damaged properties
• Houses demolished in the slum clearances of the mid 20th century
• Ships in Southampton docks
• Harbour Board photographs
• Architect's department photographs (including building works)
• Vosper Thornycroft shipbuilders
• Publicity photographs
• Planning photographs
• School photographs
• Work of photographic studios - Dennis Turner and Harlow collections
• Southampton Camera Club records (founded 1896)

Southampton Archives has hundreds of thousands of images in its collections. These include engravings, postcards, photographs, negatives and glass lantern slides. Our photographs date from the 1860s to the present day. You can use the photographs to find out more about Southampton's past. Some images show local landmarks, streets and houses; you may even find a photograph of your ancestor's house amongst our collections.

Our photographs illustrate all sorts of different subjects: people at work and at play, families, school groups, notable events and even celebrities visiting Southampton. We have a large number of photographs, engravings and drawings of ships in the port. In the Archives Reading Room you can find name, address and subject indexes to the photographs. Many images can be seen online on the Port Cities website.