The Commons on Flickr is the most amazing resource, but not only does it contain tens of thousands of images from large institutions across the world, shared for all to see (and use), it is a whole community where information is offered, gathered and documented. You can see what’s happening and keep up with the latest news and discoveries in the Flickr Commons group. There’s also a dedicated and fascinating blog called Indicommons.
To give you a flavour, here’s a slideshow of some example images from the UK’s National Maritime Museum, but be sure to check out more via the main Commons site – www.flickr.com/commons. And finally, I’ve just put together a (very experimental) interactive timeline of pre-1900 Commons images – about 11,000 in total!
A dead whale possibly in Naden Harbour, Queen Charlotte Islands
A close-up view of the head of a whale at (possibly) Naden Harbour, Queen Charlotte Islands
A whale on the slips at Naden Harbour, Queen Charlotte Islands
Ice in the River Thames off Gravesend, 1895
Ice in the River Thames off Gravesend, 1895
In the picture workshop 2nd April 2012
In the picture workshop 9th April 2012
In the picture workshop 9th April 2012
In the picture workshop 13th April 2012
In the picture workshop 6th April 2012
The Queen in the Queen`s House
The Opening
Princess Elizabeth joins the Party
Arrival of Her Her Majesty, Queen Mary
Opening of the east wing by Princess Elizabeth.
HM Queen in the Queen`s bedchamber of the Queen`s House on the day of its opening in 1990
Queen`s bedchamber of the Queen`s House
The King`s Ante chamber, Queen`s House, Greenwich
The Royal party at the opening of the National Maritime Museum.
The Royal party at the opening of the National Maritime Museum.
The Royal opening of the National Maritime Museum
Early morning take-off
A casualty is transferred ashore
Survivors from the destroyer HMS Achates
Torpedomen of the light cruiser HMS Jamaica
British and Soviet naval officers enjoying a concert aboard HMS Duke of York
An oil tanker in convoy with a cargo vessel beyond it
‘Order of the Blue Nose’ certificate
The destroyer USS Wainwright DD419 refuelling from the cruiser HMS Norfolk
The bow of HMS King George V, showing damage following her collision with HMS Punjabi
Convoy steaming through ice-covered water
The convoy rescue ship Rathlin
The bridge of the light cruiser HMS Sheffield in bad weather
‘Whisky’ the cat, pet and mascot of HMS Duke of York
Anti-aircraft gunnery course
The funnel and bridge area of the destroyer HMS Onslow
Crewmen hoisting the whaler back aboard HMS Wells
Merchant seamen attending a DEMS gunnery course
The forward superstructure of HMS Manchester in Arctic waters
The catapult-armed merchant (CAM) ship Empire Tide
A V/W class destroyer dropping a depth charge
Volunteers discharging a ship in the London Docks during the General Strike of 1926
Discharging frozen mutton and lamb from Australia on the Clan Macdougall
The offices of the Shipping Federation
Staff at R. & H. Green and Silley Weir Ltd`s Blackwall establishment
Volunteers using a crane to discharge a ship during the General Strike of 1926
Rev. George Fisher, Headmaster of the Royal Hospital School 1834-36
SS Indus, P&O Passenger Liner
A workshop at the National Boat Building Company`s works at East Greenwich
Green & Silley Weir staff outing
