Regimental Buttons of the 19th


This photo was published in the Bulletin of the Military Historical Society no.68 in May 1967 along with an article by Brigadier T F J Collins CBE of the Green Howards. It covers all the buttons ever worn by the 19th Foot from c1795 to 1967. Collins says that the founder of the regiment, Francis Luttrell provided the first regimental buttons in 1689 when the uniform changed from blue to red. The instructions to the tailor, W Franklyn of Covent Garden, ‘..to supply a coat of scarlet cloth with nine dozen rich double water-gilt buttons...’

In 1767 there was an General Order to have the regimental number on the buttons. The face of the button was fixed onto a bone or wooden back which had holes for coarse thread or catgut to sew them onto the coat. Other ranks had pewter or lead buttons. The buttons in the photo are numbered and are as follows:

1. Officer’s coat button prior to c1795. Gilt on copper concave back. The decorative circular device is called a French scroll.
2. Smaller version of officer’s button.
3. Officer’s button c1795 to 1825. Gilt on a copper concave back.
4. Officer’s large button, gilt on brass c1825 to 1855. Solid back instead of concave. Jennens & Co.
5. Officer’s small button, gilt on brass. Firmin & Co. Used until 1881.
6. Officer’s large button, gilt on brass, with big numerals. Josh Starkey of Conduit St. Worn on the first pattern tunic 1855-61.
7. Officer’s large button, gilt on brass, with smaller numerals. Used from 1861 until 1881.
8. Officer’s button on shell jacket. Gilt on brass. Jennens & Co. Worn 1855 to 1870.
9. Officer’s large button, gilt on brass, by Gaunt. 1881 to 1903.
10. Officer’s small button. 1881 to 1903
11. Officer’s large button, gilt on brass. Pitt & Co. 1903 to 1951.
12. Officer’s small button. 1903 to 1951.
13. Officer’s large anodised brass button. Buttons Ltd of Birmingham. 1951 onwards.
14. Officer’s small button. As above.
15. Officer’s mess waistcoat button 1885 to 1903. Badge in silver on gilt. Plain green undress waistcoat. The gold braided dress waistcoat had hooks and eyes.
16. Officer’s mess waistcoat button, 1903 to 1945. As above.
17. Officer’s service dress cap button. Khaki lacquer on brass. 1903 to 1945.
18. Officer’s patrol cap button 1896 to 1903. Plain white metal.
19. Officer’s patrol cap 1903 to 1929. Gilt on brass.
20. Officer’s engraved blazer button, large. There are three types of this button; Queen’s crown, King’s crown and coronet. Gilt on brass.
21. Officer’s small button for blazer. As above.
22. Other Ranks’ pewter button, 1768 to c1795. It was dug up in Gibraltar where the regiment were stationed from 1763 to 1771. The number 19 is surmounted by a crown and there is a circle all around as opposed to the French scroll on subsequent buttons.
23. O R pewter button, c1795 to 1854. Hollow back. Crown and number within a French scroll. Dug up in Demerara where the 19th were from 1826 to 1836. Made by Nutting of London.
24. O R brass button. It was made for the coatee but was not issued until the double-breasted tunic was introduced in 1855. It only lasted a year.
25. O R large brass button for the 1856 single-breasted tunic. Lasted until 1872.
26. O R small brass button. as above.
27. O R large brass universal button. 1872 to 1924. Made by Gaunt.
28. O R small brass universal button. as above.
29. O R small cap button. Undress and service dress caps.
30. O R large brass button. 1924 to 1951.
31. O R small brass button. as above.
32. O R large anodised brass button. Service Dress, 1951 onwards.
33. O R small anodised brass button. as above.
34. Mess staff large button. white metal. 1873 to 1899.
35. Mess staff small white metal button. as above.
36. Mess staff large brass button. 1899 to 1914.
37. Mess staff small brass button. as above.
38. Mess staff cuff button. as above.
39. Mess staff. 1919 to 1951.
40. Mess staff small. as above.
41. Mess staff button. 1951 onwards.


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