Remembering trailblazing Irish American photographer Anna Frances Levins

Editor's Note: The following piece has been shared with IrishCentral from the American Irish Historical Society's (AIHS) Treasures of Time, stories from the collections and archives of the American Irish Historical Society in New York City.

Continuing on in our archives series, we focus this week on a crucial figure to Irish-American history, who finds her origins here at AIHS.

Anna Frances Levins (March 21, 1876 – July 15, 1941) was the society’s first female executive officer and our historic photographer. She is known as a photographer, socialite, publisher, and writer.

Born to Irish parents on the Lower East Side and raised in the Bronx, she dedicated her life to documenting the Irish experience.

Though her impact on Irish America is vast, her story was largely ignored until research conducted by independent scholar Eve M. Kahn brought it to light. Kahn is a former Antiques Columnist for the New York Times and a biographer for multiple female historical figures, including Levins. Kahn, an outstanding member of the AIHS community, has given multiple lectures on Levins and worked tirelessly to bring light to her story.

Prior to Kahn’s work, Levins was a relatively unknown figure. While this is unfortunate, it’s not uncommon for Irish women to be forgotten in history. Levins, however, is a particularly unfortunate case as her work was so closely tied to the preservation of history.

Levins’ family hailed from Co Louth, where her paternal grandfather was a schoolteacher who taught a number of languages, including Irish. She herself was raised in Irish Catholic education in Alphabet City, growing up in St. Brigid’s School on 8th Street between Avenues B and C. This school was built to serve the Irish community on the Lower East Side, which was one of the largest Irish populations in New York at the turn of the century.

She quickly developed a love for photography, taking the new form of media by storm and adapting easily to its changing technologies. In the early 1900s, she was apprenticed by George G. Rockwood (April 12, 1832 – July 10, 1911), a New York photographer who was known for his numerous portraits that included many significant socialites and politicians. After starting her career in New York, she furthered her interest in Irish culture and began to travel Ireland and England as a portrait photographer.

Calling her parents’ homeland “Sireland,” Levins became the most Irish-travelled woman of her time. While her primary interest was in portrait photography, she was eager to capture all aspects of Irish culture. This meant capturing industry, agriculture, arts, and anything that she saw as previously undiscovered.

Back in New York, she created her own studio in 1909 in midtown at 5 East 35th Street. This studio was used as an exhibit space for her photographs, as well as a place to continue her work and host her kinspeople for various events. Levins would welcome Irish immigrants into the studio, making no distinction between those of Catholic or Protestant heritage. All who were Irish were welcome there.

Levins was a supporter of the Irish Nationalist cause and a fan of the Gaelic Revival movement. Her parties, as well as her photos, often included traditional Celtic dress to represent the ancient history of Ireland. The photos she took of prominent figures and locations were often sold to publishers, ranging from books to newspapers like the New York Times. Importantly, she insisted on being given line credit for every photo published, so that her work was preserved.

In 1911, she joined our board at AIHS. Her primary function was as the society’s photographer, showcasing events and members to show the society’s significance to Irish America. However, her skill as a photographer and her education on Irish history gave her a seat at the table (figuratively and literally) when other women were previously excluded. She was the first female officer at AIHS and, for a number of years, was the only female officer.

By the time 1916 and the Easter Rising occurred, Levins was already familiar with many of the leaders and had photographed them previously. After their deaths, she displayed their portraits at her studio. She had started her own publishing press, where she printed her own poems and the works of famed Irish authors along with these photographs and her own reproductions. The circulation of these works brought attention to her work and the ongoing research of Irish Americans.

In the 1920s, she married widower Sir Thomas Henry Grattan Esmonde at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, closing her studio and semi-retiring to a married life as Lady Esmonde. Along with Sir Esmonde, she continued to travel Ireland, where she gathered materials that she later donated to AIHS, including the death mask of Theobold Wolfe Tone.

Though she continued to publish and photograph, her work veered more towards the interests of Sir Esmonde, focusing on his hunting travels more than Irish politics. When he died in 1935 and left the entirety of his estate to Levins, his son angrily sued her and slandered her in the public eye. Levins was buried in an unmarked grave, her work largely negated in light of this perceived scandal.

Without the work of researchers like Kahn and the preservation of Levins’ materials at AIHS, she may have been forgotten. Her photos, aside from those preserved in archival collections, can be found in books that still show her credit line. As we celebrate 150 years since her birth this week, we hope to see more remembrance of her work

This column is adapted from the blog of the American Irish Historical Society (AIHS). Read the full stories at AIHSNY.org/blog.

Founded in 1897 and located on Museum Mile in New York City, the American Irish Historical Society (AIHS) preserves and promotes the history and cultural legacy of the Irish in America through its archives, art collections, and public programs. Learn more at AIHSNY.org.