Born in Leicester where his father was banker. Worked in the Museum at Dublin (1867-1879) and then, after Frederick Smith’s death, at the NHM (1879-1909). Primarily known as a Lepidopterist but as a curator he was inevitably brought into contact with Coleoptera on which he did do some work. He published an Elementary Text Book of Entomology (1885,1892) and Harvey et al (1996) p. 121 record that there is a loose leaf MS Bibliography of African Coleoptera (c.1890) in the NHM. Kirby was Honorary Secretary to the RESL and there is correspondence in the library there listed in Pedersen (2002). (MD 8/03, 11/09)
Dates
14 January 1844 – 20 November 1912