I Should have joined earlier!

[Scaith]

HI, sorry to budge in out of the blue. Do you have an image of the first Belltop Shako plate for the 63rd Regiment of Foot. I've been in touch with the Manchesters Museum and they say they only have a description (which a dead computer HDD has lost) and the IWM don't even seem to know what a belltop shako is, or that they just don't like Australians.
A friend named Howard Simcoe has made inquiries on this forum in 2012 but yet to receive a reply. We are attempting to put together uniforms for the 63rd for use at Government house in Perth.
Thanks for your time.
Derek
Perth, Western Australia.

[manchesters]

Derek,

The museum has a Bell Top Shako but it has a 96th Foot Plate on it.
They dont have a 63rd Foot shako or plate.

I dont have one, nor have I ever seen one I am afraid.
The description of the plate is as follows:-

On the universal plate, a silver Maltese cross 3.5" square with a dead silver edge and balls on the point of the arms. On the edge of the top arm Martinique and on the bottom edge Guadaloupe. Gilt lions between each arm. On the cross a laurel wreath. Within this a strap inscribed West Suffolk Regiment and in the centre the numerals 63 on a green-enamel ground.

I hope that this is of some help.

regards

[Frank Kelley]

Hello Simon,
What do you know of Messrs J H Milton & Co Manchester, were they just retailors or actual manufacturers as far as the Manchester Regiment was concerned?
Regards Frank

[manchesters]

Frank,

Cant say I have ever heard of them, sorry.

regards

[Cribyn]

Hello Frank

I have a silver plated Victorian button to a Volunteer Battalion of the Manchester Regiment with a backmark of "J H Milton & Co Manchester".

From the little research I have done they appear to have been Military Outfitters as their name is found on a very wide variety of military equipment from buttons to swords and military hats. It is unlikely they made all these items themselves so I suspect they were in the supply rather than manufacture business. They were based at 136 Deansgate, Manchester

I believe that the firm later became Milton & Jones of Manchester. I have this name on a button dating from the Edwardian period.

There are also some military items marked "D Jones & Son (late Milton & Jones) Military Tailors and Outfitters 134 Deansgate, Manchester", so the Milton name seems to have disappeared at some point.

Roger

[Frank Kelley]

Thanks Roger, that is most helpful, I've often wondered about that, as a collector, it is a name that simply turns up too often, what a truly great city it once was, I suspect it is only a shadow of what once it was, notwithstanding, I dare say the same applies in many places, yet it does certainly endure.
Many thanks again,
Frank

Originally Posted by Cribyn

Hello Frank

I have a silver plated Victorian button to a Volunteer Battalion of the Manchester Regiment with a backmark of "J H Milton & Co Manchester".

From the little research I have done they appear to have been Military Outfitters as their name is found on a very wide variety of military equipment from buttons to swords and military hats. It is unlikely they made all these items themselves so I suspect they were in the supply rather than manufacture business. They were based at 136 Deansgate, Manchester

I believe that the firm later became Milton & Jones of Manchester. I have this name on a button dating from the Edwardian period.

There are also some military items marked "D Jones & Son (late Milton & Jones) Military Tailors and Outfitters 134 Deansgate, Manchester", so the Milton name seems to have disappeared at some point.

Roger

[manchesters]

Frank and Roger,

thanks for the prompt re-buttons,
I have checked some of mine, all of which are silver plated or blackened brass volunteer buttons and indeed some are by JH Milton (QVC) and also Milton & Jones (KC).

regarsd