Frank Browne

A Life Through the Lens

Davison David, Davison Edwin, Ford Colin

Born in Cork, Ireland, Francis Browne (1880-1960) was both a distinguished Jesuit and an accomplished photographer. At age 17, before commencing his studies for the priesthood, he embarked on a tour of Europe armed with a camera; Browne continued to take photographs throughout his life. It was not until 1985, however – when Father Edward O'Donnell SJ discovered a large trunk full of photographs in the Irish Jesuit Provincial's House – that Browne's fame catapulted internationally. Father Browne's remarkable life is recorded in the superb selection of images presented in this book. With wit and a sharp eye he observed 20th-century Ireland; life as a Jesuit priest; his experience as a passenger on the first leg of the voyage of the Titanic in 1912, and his later travels throughout Europe, Egypt, Yemen, Ceylon and Australia.

About the Author

David and Edwin Davison are professional photographers in Dublin. They have been responsible for the conservation of Frank Browne's original negatives, and have devoted much of their careers to the care of this collection.

Edward O'Donnell is a Jesuit priest in Dublin who has written extensively on Father Browne, and is curator of his negative collection.

Colin Ford is founding director of the National Museum of Film and Photography in Bradford. He has written widely on the history of photography.

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