Traveling on Titanic with Father Browne
By E. E. O’Donnell
Foreword by Dr. Robert Ballard
Most of us are familiar with Father Browne’s unique and historic photos that he took on Titanic as a passenger on the first two legs of Titanic’s ill-fated voyage.
In this new edition to commemorate the 110th Anniversary of sinking of Titanic newly colorized versions of Father Browne’s photos of the original locations by Father Browne––also assembled is an incredibly valuable album of Titanic material such as an original deck plan, menus, letters to him from fellow passengers, contemporary newspaper cuttings, other documents––many of which are reproduced here for the first time, and Browne’s own account of his short but fateful voyage on Titanic,
Thanks to the gift of a ticket from his uncle, a young Jesuit named Francis Browne travelled on Titanic during her maiden voyage from Southampton, to Cherbourg to Queenstown (Cork). Invited to remain with the ship as it crossed the Atlantic, Father Browne was saved from possible disaster by a telegram from his Jesuit superior ordering him to “get off that ship.”
When Dr. Robert Ballard and his team discovered the wreck of Titanic in 1985, they confirmed the ship had split in two. Room A-37 – caught in between – was torn apart. But where was the room’s occupant? Frank Browne was hundreds of miles away having disembarked in Queenstown.
When he got off, he brought with him a soon to be famous collection of photographs taken on board of her crew and her passengers. When the unthinkable happened and Titanic sank, Father Browne’s photographs appeared on the front pages of newspapers all around the world.
Browne’s photographs have played an essential role in our understanding of the tragedy. From contemporary newspaper reports to the reproductions in James Cameron’s Titanic, they have shown people all over the world a powerful visual connection to the world’s most famous ship.
For many years the photographs of Father Browne were forgotten until 1985 when Father Eddie O’Donnell happened across an old tin trunk in the Jesuit archives and re-discovered 42,000 photographs, including the Titanic collection. Here they are reproduced in their entirety, with commentary from Father E. E. O’Donnell.
For the first time ever several of Brown’s photographs appear in color, expertly colorized by Edwin Davison, a master Irish photographer in his own right.
Browne’s photographs continue to hold a special fascination, enchanting, haunting, insightful, they are a doorway back through to the excitement and wonder of April 1912 when Titanic first set sail.
144 Pages, Softcover
Retail price: $32.95
THS discount price: $29.95
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