Alan Keith Huggins (born May 1936) MBE is a philatelist who in 1981, with Marcus Samuel, was awarded the Crawford Medal for his work Specimen stamps and stationery of Great Britain.[1]
He specializes in British postal stationery and has been a philatelic expert in the subject since 1980 and an AIEP (International Association of Philatelic Experts) member since 2001.[2]
He signed the Roll of Distinguished Philatelists in 1983 and served as Keeper of the Roll from 2003-2008. He is an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Philatelic Society, London and received its Bacon Medal in 2014 and its Tilleard Medal in 2018. He received the Collectors Club’s Lichtenstein Medal in 1994, the FIP Medal for Service in 2004 and the FEPA Award for Service in 2009.[3]
In the January 1996 New Year Honours list, Huggins was honoured with the award of Membership of the Order of the British Empire for services to the British Philatelic Trust. This was the first occasion this honour was given within philately, other than those awarded directly by the monarch to the Keeper of the Royal Philatelic Collection.[4]
Huggins is a past President of the Royal Philatelic Society London and also a past Chairman of The Postal Stationery Society (1992 - 1999).
Huggins was trained as a biochemist. His PhD thesis was titled Uncoupling reagents and intermediary metabolism in isolated tissues (1962; King's College School of Medicine and Dentistry). He followed a career as an academic and then as a University Administrator. He was Deputy Secretary at University College London from 1986–90 and its Pro-Provost from 1997-2002.[5]