Richard Shelton Kirby papers

The papers of Richard Shelton Kirby reflect his interest in the history of engineering. A small amount of correspondence with other authors and engineers is included which deals with research questions and comments on engineering issues in their books. The only extended correspondence is with the Egyptologist Ludlow S. Bull (folder 2) concerning engineering in ancient Egypt, and with Kirby's co-authors of Engineering in History, Arthur B. Darling, Frederick G. Kilgour, and Sidney Withington (folder 4). Other letters from friends and colleagues are bound with photographs and newspaper clippings in a retirement volume dedicated to Kirby. An address delivered at his retirement dinner is also included. A number of certificates and diplomas can be found in the folio. There are also four letters addressed to Kirby's father, James Andrew Kirby, concerning a right-of-way and a contract for grading Westchester Avenue in Rye, New York (folder 1).

The remainder of the papers, amounting to two-thirds of the collection, consists of six short writings by Kirby on the history of engineering and research materials used for the most part in preparing Engineering in History, which was published in 1956. Included are notes, photostats, newspaper clippings and other printed matter, and an index card file

Portions of these papers were given to Yale University by Richard Shelton Kirby in the 1940s and 1950s and by Dorothy Hooker in 1970.