Expert Picks

The best three websites for finding records of your performing ancestors online

British Newspaper Archive

w britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk

Also available via findmypast.co.uk, the British Newspaper Archive provides access to millions of pages of historic publications, including The Era and The Stage – both of which are rich in details of performers.

Search For Theatrical Ancestors (STAR)

w ellenterryarchive.hull.ac.uk/star

This free website brings searchable online data together from a number of different theatrical archives across the UK, including the Ellen Terry and Edith Craig database, which contains about 20,000 items alone.

V&A Collections

w collections.vam.ac.uk

The V&A’s collections database allows users to view objects relating to performance of all kinds, including programmes and playbills. You can also search the Theatre & Performance Archives catalogue on the site.