Metal detecting holidays in England

with the Worlds most successful metal detecting club

Twinned with Midwest Historical Research Society USA

Buttons - Livery and Government
Canadian Rod's finds were exported to him and on cleaning up some of his old buttons to his amazement this Revolutionary War 1789 Eagle Button Washington appeared. Rare find. Congratulations to Rod.

Livery Buttons

These 19th century buttons have intriguing designs, rooted in the histories of the noble families of Great Britain

The word livery comes from the French livree meaning to liberate or bestow. It was used to describe giving to retainers, who provided domestic service to the nobles and aristocrats. It came to mean the suit of clothes worn by menservants in the colors of the master who provides it and for whom they work. So from the stable boy through the page boys, each would wear his master's livery. The master wouldn't wear the livery, but he might have cufflinks or a ring using the same symbol.
Many of the crest used on livery buttons descended from the crest which knights wore on top of their helmets. It enabled friend and foe to recognize each other in battle.
Identifying livery buttons can be difficult and almost impossible. When matching buttons with pictures, everything must be exact. Often the crest is shared by many families.

Livery button

1806 - 1824
R Bushby
St Martins Lane

Titled family livery button
1838
Nortzell & Son
Bell family livery button

Livery button

No BM

Livery button

BM 1875
Firmin & Sons
153 Strand London

Hunting button

BM

Mens sporting design

Livery button

BM 1843-1861
Boggett & Reynolds
St Martins Lane London

Hunting button

No BM

Livery button

No BM

Livery button

No BM

Livery button

Unknown BM

Jackson Ribby

Gracechurch Street London

Hunting button

BM

Mens sporting design

Livery button

No BM

Brown family Livery button

Unknown maker

Oldham Lombard St London

19th Livery button

no back mark

hunting button

Peacock

Beauty, power, and knowledge

Raised hand
Bird on a Duke's crown

Fox hunting button

One who will use all that he/she may possess of wisdom and wit in his/her own defense

Greyhound

Courage, vigilance, and loyalty

R monogrammed button

Baron's button

One who will not fight unless provoked; peace and harmony

Nice monogrammed button
Fishing button

Raven

Divine providence

Very unusual raised wolf head button

Reward from perseverance in long sieges and/or hard industry

Monogrammed

Hound

Courage, vigilance, and loyalty

'Titled' family
Titled family
Bird on a crown(b)
Fishing button(w)
Unicorn on Duke's crown(x)

Association with the law or the legal profession

Griffen on Duke's crown(c)

Person of noble nature, strength, bravery, and alertness; or one who is high-spirited, ingenious, quick-witted, and judicious; "True magnanimity and strength of mind" acc. to Guillim.
If wings "displayed," it signifies protection

Monogrammed T H
One who will not fight unless provoked; peace and harmony
Crown indicates titled family

Rev Danbuz household livery button

Person of noble nature, strength, bravery, and alertness; or one who is high-spirited, ingenious, quick-witted, and judicious; "True magnanimity and strength of mind" acc. to Guillim.
If wings "displayed," it signifies protection

Gilded boars head (r)

Hospitality

Crested(r)
Crown and shield(b)

Gilded bulls head (c)

Valour, bravery, generosity

Rev Danbuz household livery button
livery button

Hand holding Fluer de lis

Purity; light; floral badge of France; represents sixth son as mark of difference

Bird
Honour; if the head of a "blackamoor" or Moor, refers to deeds of prowess in the Crusades

Arm with weapon

A person with qualities of leadership

Shooting button with Latin inscription

Bulls head livery button

Valour, bravery, generosity

Prancing Lion livery button

Dauntless courage

Livery Button - dog with dragon head
Monogrammed button
Tally Ho hunting button

Boar's head livery button

Hospitality

Boars head on a sword livery button

Hospitality

Lion livery button
Stag head livery button
Lion livery button
Greek god livery button
Hunting livery button
Unicorn design livery button
Follett family livery button
Lion design livery button
Lion livery button
Griffin design livery button
Livery button with cockerel design
Maidenhead Volunteer Fire Brigade, pre WW1.
Livery button ?
Dragon design livery button
Really nice etched Pewter button with a fox design probably 18thC
19thC livery button
Livery button with slave in chains
Rabbit livery button
Livery button
Livery button
Stag livery button
Flying duck button
18thC button
Stags head livery button
Livery button
Bird button
Burgoyne family livery button
Livery button
Livery button
Fish design hunting buttton
Bird design livery button
Boars Head
Hunting livery button

1876-1894

Honour; if the head of a "blackamoor" or Moor, refers to deeds of prowess in the Crusades

Livery button

Firmin & Sons Ld
153 Strand London

Livery button
Interesting button
Hunting button
Hound head hunting button
Livery button
Livery button
Fish design Livery button

1852-1875

Heart and Hand

Firmin & Sons

13 Conduit St London

1876-1894

Firmin & Sons Ltd

Strand London

Livery button

1852-1875
Firmin & Sons
153 Strand London

Bird livery button

Livery button with unlisted manufacturer

B.Warwick - Regents Street

Livery button with unlisted manufacturer

Oakshette & Co

15 Mill St

Conduit St London

(same street as Firmin & Sons)

Livery button

1871-1873
Reynolds & Co
50 St Martins Lane London

Livery button
Tauton family Livery button
Livery button
Livery button
?
1876-1894

Honour; if the head of a "blackamoor" or Moor, refers to deeds of prowess in the Crusades

Livery button

Firmin & Sons Ld
153 Strand London

?
19thC hunting livery button
Livery button
Early one piece - Prince of Wales - not checked ref books yet
Livery button
Livery button

1856-1860 Livery button

'FORTITER IN BE'

FIRMIN & SONS 153 Strand & 13 Conduit St

Livery button

'BE FIRM'

1895

Pitt & Co Maddox St London

Livery button
Livery button
Livery button
Livery button
Livery button
Livery button
Livery button
Livery button
Hunting button
Rider and jocky button
19thC hunting button
Livery button
Livery button
Livery button
Livery button
19thC livery button
19thC livery button
19thC livery button
19thC livery button
19thC livery button
19thC livery button
19thC livery button
Interesting button with I in the middle - could be military - needs more research
Earl Cadogan 19thC livery button
19thC livery button
19thC livery button
Hunting livery button
19thC livery button
19thC livery button
19thC livery button
19thC livery button
19thC livery button
19thC livery button
19thC livery button
19thC livery button

1876-1894

Honour; if the head of a "blackamoor" or Moor, refers to deeds of prowess in the Crusades

Livery button

Firmin & Sons Ld
153 Strand London

19thC Livery button
19thC livery button
19thC livery button
19thC Livery button
19thC Livery button
19thC livery button
19thC livery button
19thC livery button
19thC livery button
19thC livery button
19thC livery button
19thC livery button
19thC livery button
19thC livery button
19thC livery button
19thC livery button
19thC livery button
19thC livery button
19thC livery button
19thC livery button
19thC livery button
19thC livery button
19thC livery button
19thC livery button
19thC livery button
19thC livery button
19thC livery button
19thC livery button
19thC livery button
19thC livery button
19thC livery button
19thC livery button
19thC livery button
19thC livery button
19thC livery button
19thC livery button
19thC livery button
       
       
       
Railways, Trams & Buses
The Great Eastern Railway button

London Midland and Scottish Railway Company

1907-1959
Buttons Ltd

Eastern Railways button

London and North East Railways

1907-1959
Buttons Ltd [crossed swords trademark]
Birmingham

Northern Railways button
Stevenson's rocket button - worlds first ever steam train
Eastern Counties bus company button
North Eastern Railway button
Stevenson's rocket button - worlds first ever steam train
North Eastern Railway button(b)
Eastern Railways button
Railways button
Manchester - 'Ship, Canal Railways' button
Southern Railways button
UK - Britain
Huddersfield Corporation
Tramways
1883 - 1940
General Staff
Maker - Unknown
Manchester Corporation Tramways button

Southend on Sea Corporation transport

Trolley Buses - 1925 - 1954

Special Quality

Manchester Transport Corporation
Warrington Corporation Tramways

London and North East Railways

1907-1959
Buttons Ltd [crossed swords trademark]
Birmingham

20thC Large and small Great Western Railways buttons
London North East Railways
Chatham Railway rally button

Midland Railway button

J Gaunt and Sons Ltd London

From 1899

Newport Corporation Transport
Colchester Corporation button
Maidenhead Volunteer Fire Brigade, pre WW1.
19thC Gt Eastern railway and steamship button
Chatham and Dover Railway London
Northern Railways button
20thC Eastern Counties bus company button
Great western railways button
Great western railways button
London and North Eastern Railways button
Midland and Scottish Railway company button
County Borough of newport tramways button
London and Chatham railway button
20thC British rail button
Great Eastern Railways button
19thC North Eastern railways button
19thC North Eastern railways button
19thC London and North East railways button
Stevenson's rocket button - worlds first ever steam train

The Great Eastern railway button

The Eastern Counties Railway opened in 1839. In 1862 it amalgamated with three other companies, to form the Great Eastern Railway

CVWC ? Great Western Railways button
19thC London Docklands button 19thC South Eastern railways button CM ? North Eastern Railways button
       
Police buttons
Newark Police button

Hull Police

Early 20thC Firmin and Son Ltd London

Lancaster police button(c)
Essex police button
   
19thC Essex Constabulary button
Police button
   
Local Govt and others

Corporation button ?

'In Deo Spes'

In God is my hope

1876-1894
Firmin & Sons Ld
153 Strand London

19thc London District Post Office button
Staleybridge, Hyde, Mossely and Dukinfield Joint Transport Board
World button
Probably a Generic Police Button of Royal Parks etc.
1902-1952
'Excelsidi' button
City of London - COA's

 

USA Post Office Dep't

19thC London County Council
19thC Essex corporation button
19thC Button with crest
1747 School Button
Cherub with wings button with latin inscription
Colchester Corporation button
Neat button with crown and Portcullis design(x)
WWII Civil defence button
North Western company button
20thC ABC cinema button
1696 Fire office hand in hand button
Fire Office the Strand (London) button
EPWW monogrammed button
Ipswich corporation button
Corporation button
Victorian Royal Court, One of which is . . . Officer at Arms, Earl Marshal of England
(r)

Guardian Insurance company

1876-1894
Firmin & Sons Ld
153 Strand London

Great dated button - 1747 'Mr W Naggs's Charity'
Corporation button

1624 E. LATYMERS ALMS BOYS

During the 17th century important charities were founded for schools and for alms-houses.

Latymer school was established under the will of Edward Latymer dated 1624

Latymer school catered only for boys but in 1778 a girls' charity school was started in Edmonton

 

1714 dated button

Union Society

Corporation button
County of Essex
County of Essex

'E.Edwards Charity button'

1721-1942

By will proved 1871 Edward Edwards left stock for gifts of bread, coal, or clothing, to Church of England widows of Coalbrookdale parish. In 1975 the income of his charity, which included a bequest of Elizabeth Edwards, was £10.

From: 'Madeley: Charities for the poor', A History of the County of Shropshire: Volume 11: Telford (1985), pp. 76-77. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=18075 Date accessed: 12 April 2009.

Gresham Club button

The London Capital Club building was purpose built for the Gresham Club in 1915 when they moved from their old location in St. Swithins Lane.

The Gresham Club, named after Sir Thomas Gresham, a noted Elizabethan dignitary and founder of the Royal Exchange, was founded in 1843.

Assurance button
Corporation button
Corporation button
General post office button
Corporation button
Corporation button
Really neat 1824 dated gilded button
19thC Office of Bounty charity button
19thC Colchester club button
     
19thC corporation button      
       
       
Unknown buttons
Button with crown
?
?
TVC ?
?
Crown button
?
Ship button
Silvered button with crown ?
P.S ?
 
Buttons Livery
Buttons Navy
Buttons Dress
Buttons Military Index