Who Were They Wednesday

Rev. Francis M. Browne S.J.

Perhaps one of those most notable passengers in Titanic history is Father Browne, who didn’t make the entire crossing. He boarded the Titanic in first-class only to travel from Southampton to Queenstown. Famously, his photographs of the Titanic taken while on board would be the most notable references for the Titanic’s interior in history.

Browne’s Uncle Robert bought him the ticket as a cross-channel passenger. It’s noted in the published album that an American couple offered to pay Browne’s way all the way to New York. His Jesuit superior at the time wired back, telling him to get off the ship immediately. Luckily, Browne listened.

In 1997 Edward Eugene O’Donnell published the never before seen journey of Browne’s fated encounter with Titanic. Telling a visual tale of the Titanic’s interiors, their passengers, and crew. This includes the last portrait of Captain Smith looking over the lifeboats on the side of the ship.

Browne was ordained in 1915, and immediately went to the front of World War I, where he was injured five times. One injury, from a severe gas attack, would have him moved to the warmer climate of Australia after he was demobilized in 1920. His journey to Australia would take him through Cape Town. On the way back he would further visit Ceylon, Aden, Suez, Saloniki, Naples, Toulon, Gibraltar, Algeciras, and Lisbon. Over his lifetime he would take some 42,000 photographs.

Father Browne would continue to preach all over Ireland upon his return, becoming a member of the Retreats and Mission staff of the Irish Jesuits, until his death in 1960.

Browne is buried is Glasnerin Cemetry, Dublin.