Firstly, many thanks to everyone for responding. I'm sure with all the knowledge on this website we can crack this mystery.
David, thanks for answering my questions. I really appreciate you taking the time. Many RM or RMLI officers were Barrackmasters - especially at RM Barracks. One of my own ancestors was Barrackmaster at Chatham RM Barracks in the 1820s. My own research has also shown that they sometimes served as Barrackmasters in RN Barracks but RN Officers also filled the role. These all seem to have been serving officers so they wouldn't have needed a special button as they had their own uniform. i have also come across senior rates serving as Barrackmasters or Assistant Barrackmasters. Once again they were serving personnel.
Civilians (presumably people who had never served in the Armed Forces) being appointed to the post is new to me. I will have to look into that further.
Phil, as you say the letters could stand for anything but I have considered the possibility of them being worn by Royal Navy Bands. Long before the Royal Marines became responsible for providing music for the Royal Navy there was a Royal Navy Band Service, with it's own distinctive and rather unique uniform. I have some information on their uniforms somewhere but can't lay my hands on it at the moment. However, since all the RNB buttons feature a King's Crown I think that it is unlikely to have been used by them as they disappeared at the beginning of the 20th century.
Tony, any information is helpful! I've personally encountered retired senior rates who were employed as civil servants but still wore their uniforms. One former WO sticks in my mind. He thought he was God and I had to remind him that, despite his uniform, he was now only a civil servant. This just seems to confirm something that we have mentioned before - that if retired senior rates filled the post of Barrackmaster and were required to wear a uniform they probably just wore their old uniform. This has been the case for many years.
Ian, many thanks for the information re maker's marks. I will check these out and see if they give us any more information re the dates they were possibly used - for whatever it was!
Pete
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