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Table of Contents
Introduction
The Thomas Burr Charles Poultry Scrapbooks collection consists of four scrapbooks and several folders containing news clippings and other print materials, mainly about people, events, and developments in the poultry industry, particularly in the state of New Hampshire. The materials span the years 1923 to 1946, with the bulk of the material produced between 1940 and 1945. The materials are in fair to poor condition due to the deterioration of the newsprint in this collection. Researchers may use the collection without restrictions. However, some materials are fragile and may require staff assistance in order to view them.
T. B. Charles is believed to have compiled the scrapbooks and loose materials found in this collection. The National Agricultural Library’s Special Collections received the collection from an unknown source prior to 1997. The collection was arranged and described by Valerie Linsinbigler, Special Collections intern, in 2018.
Biographical Sketch
Thomas Burr Charles (1890-1967) headed the Department of Poultry Husbandry at the University of New Hampshire (UNH) from 1928 to 1949. Charles also served as the first vice president of the Poultry Science Association from 1933 to 1934, and as its president from 1934 to 1935. In 1938, Charles earned his master of science degree from Cornell University.
The Department of Poultry Husbandry and the Department of Animal Sciences at UNH formed the foundation for the commercial hatchery industry that promoted the New Hampshire chicken breed, which was admitted to the American breed standard in 1935.
Scope and Content Note
The Thomas Burr Charles Poultry Scrapbooks consist mainly of newspaper clippings on research, events, and notable individuals of the poultry industry, especially those located in New Hampshire. There are articles on the development of the New Hampshire chicken breed. The collection also contains correspondence both from and to T. B. Charles, poultry event notices and programs, obituaries, invitations and announcements, magazine articles, and ephemera. Some items cover topics other than poultry, such as current events, University of New Hampshire and Grange news, various agricultural subjects, and Charles’ personal interests.
Most of the newspaper articles are mounted in four scrapbooks. There are also several folders of loose materials.
Selected Bibliography
Information for the biographical sketch is from the following sources:
American Poultry Historical Society, Inc. American Poultry History 1823-1973. Madison, Wisconsin: American Printing and Publishing, Inc., 1974
"Cornell Awards Degrees for 180." New York Times. 1938, November 21: 11.