Gilbert Harrison (rugby)

Gilbert "Gillie" Harrison (13 June 1858 – 9 November 1894) was an English rugby union footballer of the 1870s and 1880s and British philatelist. He was one of the "Fathers of Philately" entered on the Roll of Distinguished Philatelists in 1921.

Harrison was born in Cottingham, East Riding of Yorkshire.

Harrison played at representative level for England, and at club level was Captain for Hull, as a Forward, e.g. Front row, Lock, or Back row. Before Thursday 29 August 1895, Hull was a rugby union club.

Gillie Harrison won caps for England while at Hull in 1877 against Ireland, and Scotland, in 1879 against Scotland, and Ireland, in 1880 against Scotland, and in 1885 against Wales, and Ireland.

He joined The Philatelic Society, London, now The Royal Philatelic Society London, in February 1889 and was an expert on the stamps of Afghanistan, Portuguese India, Kashmir, and on United States postal stationery. It was reported in The London Philatelist that Harrison had spent over £4500 on his United States stamped envelope collection alone but still lacked many varieties. He won a gold medal at the London Philatelic Exhibition 1890 for his display of US stamped envelopes.

He died on 9 November 1894, at Ferriby (Sculcoates), at the age of 36.