Ground dug buttons ID

[Irv]

Hi Guys,

Can you help with ID and dates of these buttons please.

Regards
Irv

[Irv]

2 lot

[Irv]

A couple of badges


Cheers for your help

[Guzzman]

The third button in the first group is the button worn by most Royal Navy officers between 1774 and 1860. However, it isn't quite that simple as it was worn by different ranks at different dates between those years.

Captain/Commander - 1774-1787
Master & Master's Mate - 1787-1807
Surgeon - 1787-1805
Purser - 1787-1807
Warrant Officer - 1787-1860
Midshipman - 1787-1812
Volunteers - 1787-1812
Engineers 1st Class - 1837-1842
Schoolmasters - 1827-1842

There were many slight variations in the actual button design as well. These simply depended on the manufacturer. Sometimes the rope around the anchor was replaced by a chain. However, all consisted of the same basic foul anchor design.

Normally the only way to date them is by the makers mark on the back but since your example doesn't seem to have one that's not possible. However, I would say that your button probably dates from some time in the late 18th or early 19th centuries but I can't be more specific than that!

Pete

[Cribyn]

Hello Irv

Of your buttons, the only two I can identify positively are number 4 (the 'VR' button) which was worn by "other ranks on the staff" according to Howard Ripley's book on British Army buttons and number 7 which is an early button for the 22nd (Cheshire) Regiment of Foot dating from around 1800 by the look of it.

I would hazard a guess that numbers 2 and 5 are early 19th century 'generic' patterns for militia and/or volunteers, almost certainly so in the case of the crown over 'GR' button unless there is more on the button than shows up in the photo.

The first button seems to be 'XLV' - 45 - but it is not a pattern recorded by Parkyn in his book as being used by the British 45th Foot. According to him the 45th always used '45' (rather than XLV'). A lot of modern civilian blazer type and some military hunt buttons used roman numerals but your button looks far too old to fall into either category. A lot of early Light Dragoon buttons used roman numerals but usually with an 'LD' or similar but I don't think there was ever a 45th Light Dragoons anyway!

Hopefully someone else will be along to fill in the gaps and put me right if incorrect.

Roger

[Irv]

Thank you very much for your input

Pete, that is a very detailed list for just that one button

Roger, you are right about that first button, it is (IMO) a late 18th early 19th century button. The construction on a few of these buttons show them to be early, and as you know, on the IOW we have mountains of military items in the ground as it has spent most of the last 300 years as a military camp. I've lost count of how many Brown Bess musket balls I have found

Regards
Irv