Cirrus@Austlit

Reginald Kirby grew up in Windsor, UK, later gaining a diploma from Spurgeon's (theological) College, London and a History Certificate from London University College. He served as Baptist Minister in Harborne, Birmingham (1926-1933) and Harrogate, Yorkshire (1933-1936) before migrating to Australian and becoming Minister of Collins Street Baptist Church, Melbourne in 1936.

In 1942 Kirby enlisted for service in World War II. He served as a padre in the RAAF in New Guinea, until his discharge in May 1943. Following the war he became a lecturer in English and Theology in Armidale, NSW and later a master at Wolaroi College, eventually retiring to Melbourne following a heart attack.

Kirby was a prolific writer, publishing several religious works between 1936 and 1940 and numerous adventure and romance novels between 1942 and 1950. He also wrote for boys and contributed to The Boy: The Australian Boy Annual in the 1940s. From about 1956 he wrote a philosophical column for Your Garden magazine, publishing the selection Thoughts in My Garden in 1963.