Fateful Trip , passengers of Destiny.

[daveklepper]

Also:

Of course all photos here were long before even the first Leica was produced.

[daveklepper]

For those who would like improved versions of the first five photos on this thread, herewith:

Father Frank Browne, SJ

Note that Father Browne S. J. used a Leica M3, same as I still use.

[Overmod]

Ah, the brave new world of the WORM drive!  Isn't it interesting to see how this promise of the future came true -- in spades! -- and in how many ways even with profiteering and gatekeeping and monetizing that went on with scholarly material and collections since those days this dream of having free access to images has been borne out.

[Miningman]

Father Browne 

https://issuu.com/messengerpublications/docs/titanic

 

https://archive.org/details/Black_White_Photography_April_2015_UK/page/n47

 

[Fr.Al]

Another father I know, Fr. Zhivko, is a Serbian Orthodox priest from Macedonia, had an uncle who was a survivor from the Titanic! The uncle made it back to Macedonia, which would have been then either in South Serbia or possibly the Ottoman Empire; this was pre WWI.

    Another Father, who was my professor in seminary, was Fr. Vladimir Borichevsky. He had the distinction of being the very first Orthodox chaplain in the US Army during WWII. He was a remarkable man, a walking encyclopedia. We used to try to distract him from our lesson and almost always succeeded, but you still walked out of his class having learned something. He died much too soon in 1990.

    I would split some Tullymore Dew with you, but I gave up the pipe and cigars decades ago. 

[Flintlock76]

I knew Mike would come through!  

Father (Chaplain - Major) Browne, the man himself!

A man I'd love to have a chat with over a bottle of "Tullamore Dew" and a box of cigars, or a pipe or two.  And don't let that formidable appearance fool you, the troops loved him!

Thanks Mike, and Vince for passing it on!

[Overmod]

Penny Trains

He also may have invented "the selfie"

And the "photobomb" at the same time!

[M636C]

I wonder if G.K. Chesterton's fictional detective was influenced by the real Father Browne...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Father_Brown

These started in 1910 which might be before the real Father Browne became known...

Peter

[Miningman]

Chaplain Browne

 

 

https://www.jmilford-titanic.com/2014/08/the-francis-browne-collection.html

 

Late add on :

 

http://www.fatherbrowne.com/

 

 

[Flintlock76]

You're welcome Vince!  I'll tell you, it's all the twists, turns, and peripherals in the Titanic  story that makes people like myself and Becky Titanic  junkies for life! 

There's so many stories to tell and so many lessons that tragic ship has to teach us.

Author Daniel Allan Butler said it best:  "Once you let Titanic  into your life, she never leaves!"  

[Miningman]

Well I'll be... that is amazing! Thanks Wayne and Penny. 

[Flintlock76]

It wouldn't urprise me if the good Father invented the "selfie," he was quite a remarkable man!

There's a superb photograph of Father Brown in his chaplain's uniform, it's in a book I have called "The Last Days Of The Titanic" but I can't find a grab-able one on-line.  He looks like a soldier!    I don't know when it was taken but on his left sleeve he has only two of the five wound stripes he'd eventually be authorized to wear.

Maybe Mike can find us one?  

[Penny Trains]

He took the only known image of Titanic's Marconi Room.  That's Harold Bride at the key:

He also may have invented "the selfie":

 

[Flintlock76]

Interesting history behind that photograph.

It was taken by a young Jesuit seminarian named Father Frank Browne. Father Browne called it "The Titanic Special," which it certainly was, but it typically went by the name "The Boat Train."

Father Browne was an amateur photogapher who's uncle, the Bishop of Cloyne, had gotten him a First Class ticket for a three-day voyage on Titanic, knowing of his interest in ships and photography as well.  He would have needed permission of the Rector of the seminary, but there was no way the Rector, or his superior the Provincial, was going to say no to the Bishop!  

Father Browne's voyage took him from Southampton, to Cherbourg, and then to Queenstown, now Cobh in Ireland. On the trip Father Browne met an American millionaire couple who were quite taken with him, and offered to pay for a round-trip ticket to New York, they enjoyed his company so much.  He sent a wireless message to the Provincial asking permission, and by the time he got to Queenstown he had his reply, in five words:

GET OFF THAT SHIP - PROVINCIAL

That was the end of that!

Father Browne wouldn't realise how lucky he was until he was back at the seminary in Dublin and got the word of the Titanic's   sinking.  His photographs are a remarkable record of the first days of the only voyage of the ship. 

Father Browne's story doesn't end there.  He was ordained in 1915 and became chaplain to the Irish Guards serving on the Western Front in WW1.  He was wounded five times, gassed once, was decorated with the Military Cross (twice), the third-highest British decoration at the time, and also with the French Croix de Guerre.  His commanding officer, Colonel (later Field Marshal) Harold Alexander called Father Browne "The bravest man I ever met."

Quite a story huh?  And it still doesn't end there, but let's just say Father Browne also became a distinguished Irish photographer as well, taking 42,000 pictures of all subjects during his life.   And that Waterloo Station shot's one of them! 

[Miningman]

Here is the Titanic Special bound for Southampton having just left Waterloo Station at 9:45 am Wed. Aor. 10, 1912 with passengers bound for Titanic's maiden voyage to New York.