John Timothy Whitney (14 December 1945 – 15 December 1990), known also as Tim Whitney, was an expert on British

postmarks A postmark is a postal marking made on an envelope, parcel, postcard or the like, indicating the place, date and time that the item was delivered into the care of a postal service, or sometimes indicating where and when received or in transit. ...

who wrote a popular catalogue on the subject that has been through many editions, and the definitive guide to the stamps and

postal history Postal history is the study of postal systems and how they operate and, or, the study of the use of postage stamps and covers and associated postal artifacts illustrating historical episodes in the development of postal systems. The term is att ...

of the Isle of Man. He was also an expert on the

philately Philately (; ) is the study of postage stamps and postal history. It also refers to the collection and appreciation of stamps and other philatelic products. Philately involves more than just stamp collecting or the study of postage; it is poss ...

of the French coastal islands. Tim obtained a degree in theology from ''Oxford University'' and in 1975 a Ph.D. from ''Nottingham University''.Whitney, Dr. J.T. ''Isle of Man Handbook of Stamps and Postal History''. Chippenham, Wiltshire: Picton Publishing & B.P.H. Publications Ltd., 1976, cover notes. He ran the religious studies department at South East Essex Sixth Form College for many years. He had suffered from

muscular dystrophy Muscular dystrophies (MD) are a genetically and clinically heterogeneous group of rare neuromuscular diseases that cause progressive weakness and breakdown of skeletal muscles over time. The disorders differ as to which muscles are primarily affe ...

since his teens and was an active fundraiser for MD causes. He died in

Southend-On-Sea, Essex Southend-on-Sea (), commonly referred to as Southend (), is a coastal city and unitary authority area with borough status in southeastern Essex, England. It lies on the north side of the Thames Estuary, east of central London. It is bordered ...

, the day after his 45th birthday.''England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1966, 1973-1995''

Selected publications

* ''Collect British Postmarks''. 4th edition. Benfleet, Essex: J.T. Whitney, 1987. * ''Isle of Man Handbook of Stamps and Postal History''. Chippenham, Wiltshire: Picton Publishing & B.P.H. Publications Ltd., 1981 , 309p.

References

1945 births 1990 deaths Alumni of the University of Oxford British philatelists People with muscular dystrophy People from Leeds Schoolteachers from Essex {{UK-philatelist-stub