After restoring old family photos - of many different sizes and vastly differing quality - I found Gimp to be the perfect tool for amalgamating all the images into one using masking and cutting and pasting. As well as printing the result out and putting it into a frame - I also place it in the folder for my desktop screensaver of photo images. That way I get to see the faces on a regular basis; it brings back that warm glow of long ago childhood going through the embroidered bag containing the stash of old photos. The conversation with Mum would always go something like -

Me: "Who's this"
Mum: "One of your Dad's brothers son."
Me: "Who's this"
Mum: "Oh that's another of your Dad's brothers son."
Me: "Who's this"
Mum: "That's your Dad's brother who went to Canada."
Well you get the idea...

Part of one of the collages...

wtg. Gimp definitely is #1 when it comes to restoring old photos etc. Many of us have done it. Wonderful collage!

I agree with Sallyanne, nicely done

I agree. Very nicely done. I use my old photos as screen savers also. That way I get to visit those people and times every day instead of hiding them away in albums.

Thank you all - you are so kind. That seems to be true of everyone on this board - so positive and appreciative of other people's efforts.
I am in awe of the artistic folk on some of the forums. I'm afraid I have to resort to patience and perseverence to make up for my lack of skills in the art department.