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BUTTON MAKERS AND THEIR BACKMARKS
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During the second half of the eighteenth century, manufacturers of metal buttons began to ‘brand’ their products by marking the backs with their names and often their addresses. These ‘backmarks’ can provide useful information for dating the buttons, as details of the various companies, and when they were operating, can be found in contemporary trade directories and other documentary sources. The marking is invariably produced by die stamping, which is an inherent part of the manufacturing process, and backmarks produced in this way continue to be used to the present day.
The list that follows identifies British manufacturers and the backmarks they used from the earliest ones recorded until about the middle of the twentieth century. They have been collated from a large number of sources over a long period of time, both documentary and from the buttons themselves, most of which have been recovered by metal detectorists. In general, dates should be regarded as approximate, and not exclusive unless the context indicates otherwise. It is also the case that there are some differences in respect of dating between the secondary sources that have been consulted. Where it has not been possible to reconcile such differences, the various dates and date ranges encountered are all shown in the applicable ‘Date’ field.
The listing is in alphabetical order, by company name. During the period concerned, this is invariably the surname(s) of the founder(s). Where various members or generations of the same family worked for the business, they are listed under the common surname. Where double or multiple names apply, each name is listed separately, but cross-referenced back to the main company name. This has been done to facilitate faster tracing of a company when backmarks are partially illegible, as they often are on buttons recovered from the ground.
In addition to listing backmarks, any relevant information concerning the button makers is shown in summary form. This typically includes dates when the companies were established, taken over or ceased trading. Known button types, associated with the maker, or with particular backmarks, are also noted where it is considered that they might be helpful. The backmarks consist of the company’s name (or initials) alone, or the name and address together. They also occasionally include a pictorial trademark, such as the Prince of Wales plume found on Jennens’ buttons from 1860. In the list, the backmark is always the combination of the ‘Name’ and ‘Address’ fields. If the address is not part of the backmark, the ‘Address’ field will be empty.
It is not always clear from the sources whether the name and address are actual backmarks used by the companies, or simply their details, as obtained from trade directories and other primary sources. For this reason, those backmarks that have actually been seen by the writer - either by viewing the buttons directly, or photographs of them - are shown in an emboldened font. It is the intention that the list will be periodically updated, as more of the backmarks are confirmed. It should be noted that confirmation of a backmark does not imply confirmation of any dates associated with them.
It is also inevitable that the list will contain errors, both as a result of transcribing the information, and because of the use of secondary sources, which, as indicated above, are sometimes at variance with each other. Similarly, there will be omissions from the list, both in respect of the names of companies, and the backmarks for those that are listed. It is intended that the periodic updates will also include amendments and additions, as more information becomes available.
If details seem rather sparse in some cases, it should be borne in mind that the information shown might have been gleaned from a single button or a single documentary reference. In other cases, of course, there is a wealth of published information, and further details are often available from the sources cited at the end of the listing.
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ALLEN & MOORE
(See also MOORE)
Date(s)
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Name
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Address
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Related Information
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1848-1854
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Company manufacturing counters and commemorative medals
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1855-1870
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Allen & Moore
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36 Great Hampton Road, Birmingham
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Company manufacturing buttons
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ANDERSON
Date(s)
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Name
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Address
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Related Information
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c.20th C
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Wm Anderson & Son
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Edinburgh
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ARMFIELD
Date(s)
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Name
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Address
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Related Information
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1763
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Company established in Birmingham
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1783
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Company first listed as a button maker
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1790
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Armfield & Co
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Holloway Park
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1790-1855
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E Armfield & Son
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Birmingham
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1790-1890
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Edward Armfield
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Newall Street, Birmingham
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1818
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Wrightson's Triennial Directory, 1818: ‘Edward Armfield & Son, button makers, Bath Row’.
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E Armfield
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Birmingham
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Livery buttons with VR
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1891
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Armfield & Co
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Newall St
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1891
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Armfield & Co
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St Paul’s Square, Birmingham
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1891-1910
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Edward Armfield
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St Paul’s Square, Birmingham
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Late 19th C- early 20th C
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Edwd Armfield
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Birmingham
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Livery buttons
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1911-1940
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Edward Armfield & Co Ltd
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St Paul’s Square, Birmingham
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1911-1975
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E Armfield & Co
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Birmingham
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20th C
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Armfield & Co Ltd
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Birmingham
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1940
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Company’s premises destroyed by a bomb
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1970’s
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Company operating at this date
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ARMY & NAVY
Date(s)
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Name
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Address
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Related Information
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1873-1889
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Army & Navy
Co-operative Society
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117 Victoria Street
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London address
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1889-1934
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Army & Navy
Co-operative Society
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105 Victoria Street
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London address
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ASTON
Date(s)
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Name
|
Address
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Related Information
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Before 1876
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William Aston
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Princip St
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Birmingham address
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Date(s)
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Name
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Address
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Related Information
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Before 1739
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Badell
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Old Square, Birmingham
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BARTLEET
Date(s)
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Name
|
Address
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Related Information
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20th C
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Bartleet & Sons Warranted
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BARWELL, BECK & THOMAS
Date(s)
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Name
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Address
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Related Information
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1800’s
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Barwell, Beck & Thomas
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1800-1850
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Sir Edward Thomas. Partner?
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BECK
(See BARWELL, BECK & THOMAS)
BIELBY
(See WISE)
BLOCK
Date(s)
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Name
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Address
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Related Information
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Late 19th C
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H E Block & Co
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15 King Street, Covent Garden
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BOGGETT
(See also REYNOLDS for later history)
Date(s)
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Name
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Address
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Related Information
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1824-1835
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George Boggett
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St Martin’s Lane, London
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1824-1835
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G Boggett
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St Martin’s Lane, London
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Livery buttons
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1835-1838
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George & William Boggett
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1838-1842
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Boggett & Co
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1838-1842
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George & William Boggett & Co
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1843-1861
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Boggett & Reynolds
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St Martins Lane London
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1843-1861
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William Boggett & Joseph Reynolds
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BOULTON
Date(s)
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Name
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Address
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Related Information
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1756-1759
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Matthew Boulton
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Soho Works, Staffordshire
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BRATT
(See LESDAM, BRATT)
BROUGHTON
(See also NORTZELL for earlier Broughton partnership)
Date(s)
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Name
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Address
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Related Information
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Broughton
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Fenchurch Street
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1840-1845
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Broughton & Noakes
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London
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1840-1845
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Broughton & Noakes
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Fenchurch Street, London
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BUCKLEY
Date(s)
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Name
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Address
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Related Information
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1861-1865
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S Buckley & Co
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Birmingham
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American Civil War buttons
(S = Samuel)
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BULLIVANT
(See also TIPSON)
Date(s)
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Name
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Address
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Related Information
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c.1800- 1840
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Makers of plain buttons during this period.
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1818
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Bullivant & Tipson
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Great Charles Street, Birmingham
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Button-maker recorded in trade directory
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Bullivant & Tipson’s Superfine
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G H Bullivant
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Birmingham
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BUSHBY
Date(s)
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Name
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Address
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Related Information
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c.1800-1824
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Bushby
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London
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c.1800-1824
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Robert Bushby
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St Martin’s Lane, London
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Successor to I Williams
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1806 - 1824
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R Bushby
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St Martins Lane
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Livery buttons
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BUTTONS LTD
Date(s)
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Name
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Address
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Related Information
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1907
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Formed when several of the largest button companies merged. Buttons include British Army, RAF, Royal Artillery
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1913
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Sites in Birmingham making buttons, buckles and stampings:
Portland Street, Worstone Lane & Clissold Street
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1907-1959
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Buttons Ltd [crossed swords trademark]
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Birmingham
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Buttons Ltd
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B’ham
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Buttons Ltd
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London
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Note London manufacturing facility
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Late 20th C
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Became a division of Francis Sumner Engineering Ltd
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Date(s)
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Name
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Address
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Related Information
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C H C & S
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Birmingham
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British Army buttons
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CADBURY
(See GREEN, CADBURY & RICHARDS)
CAIRNS
Date(s)
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Name
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Address
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Related Information
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1782-1820
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Cairns & Frear
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Merchants
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Mid 1790s-1810
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Cairns, Frear & Kirmikell
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Manufacturing buttons
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c.1795-1810
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Cairns & Co
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Birmingham
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c.1795-1820
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Cairns
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Birmingham
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CAMPBELL
(See ISAACS)
CARLYLE
Date(s)
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Name
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Address
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Related Information
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1875
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Carlyle (Thomas) Ltd
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Birmingham
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CHATWIN
Date(s)
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Name
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Address
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Related Information
|
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Chatwin & Son
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Birmingham
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CHATWYN
(CHATWIN? see above)
Date(s)
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Name
|
Address
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Related Information
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1851
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Chatwyn J & T
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Birmingham
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CHENEY
Date(s)
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Name
|
Address
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Related Information
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20th C
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Cheney
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B’ham
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British Army and utility buttons
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CLANCY
Date(s)
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Name
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Address
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Related Information
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1817-1847
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Clancy
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Dublin
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COOK & PALMER
Date(s)
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Name
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Address
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Related Information
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1890’s
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Cook & Palmer
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Woolwich
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CROWDER(See MORTEN & CROWDER) DAIN, WATTS & MANTON
Date(s)
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Name
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Address
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Related Information
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1850’s
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Messrs Dain, Watts & Manton
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Regent Works, Birmingham
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DAWES
(See also Sherlock)
Date(s)
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Name
|
Address
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Related Information
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Before 1837
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Dawes Patented
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15 King St Covent Garden London
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Livery buttons
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Before 1837
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Dawes & Sherlock
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14 King St London Covent Garden
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DEAKIN, DUNCOMBE & EGGINGTON
Date(s)
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Name
|
Address
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Related Information
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1800’s
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Deakin, Duncombe & Eggington
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1800’s
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Duncombe, Eggington & Bingley, Lesdam
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DEWAR
(See McCLYMONT)
DICKENSON
(See HAMMOND)
DOBSON
(Probably an error reading of HOBSON)
Date(s)
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Name
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Address
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Related Information
|
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Dobson & Sons
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DONLER
(Probably an error reading of DOWLER)
Date(s)
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Name
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Address
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Related Information
|
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William Donler
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42 Cherry Street
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DOUGHTY
Date(s)
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Name
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Address
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Related Information
|
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Benjamin Doughty
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103 St Martins Lane, London
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19th C
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Doughty & Co
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London
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Livery buttons
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DOWLER
Date(s)
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Name
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Address
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Related Information
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1774
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Company founded, probably as Thomas Dowler of Great Charles Street, Birmingham.
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William Dowler & Sons
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Birmingham
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1861-1865
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W Dowler
Superior Quality
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American Civil War buttons
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1946
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Company address in 1946:
Graham Street Works, Birmingham 1
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1969
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Amalgamated with Firmin
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DUNBAR
Date(s)
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Name
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Address
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Related Information
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Early 19th C
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H Dunbar [crossed floral sprays below]
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Silver-plated livery buttons
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DUNCOMBE
(See DEAKIN, DUNCOMBE & EGGINGTON) EDWARDS
Date(s)
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Name
|
Address
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Related Information
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19th C
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Robert Edwards
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Birmingham
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Henry Edwards
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Birmingham
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R Edwards
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London
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EGGINGTON
(See DEAKIN, DUNCOMBE & EGGINGTON)
Date(s)
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Name
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Address
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Related Information
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1717-1800
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William Elliot & Son
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Regent Street, Birmingham
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1837
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William Elliot & Son
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Frederick Street
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William Elliot & Son
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38 Noble Street, Foster Lane, London
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Date(s)
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Name
|
Address
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Related Information
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1677
|
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Company established in London this year by Thomas Firming (sic).
Address: Three Kings’ Court
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1763-1768
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Samuel Firmin
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Opposite New Church
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1769-1782
1771
1770’s early 1790’s
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Samuel Firmin
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Near Somerset House
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1770s early 1790’s
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S F
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Near Somerset House
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1771-1780
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S Firmin
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Strand
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1783-1796
1875
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Firmin & Sons
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153 Strand
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Livery buttons (c. early-mid 19th C)
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1793
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Samuel Firmin
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153 Strand
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1793-1796
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Samuel Firmin
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Strand London
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1794-1812
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Firmin & Westall
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153 Strand London
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1794-1812
1797-1799
1797-1811
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Firmin & Westall
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.
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1800
c.1800-1811
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Firmin & Co
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Early 19th C
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Firmin & Co
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London
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Plain gilt buttons
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1811-1821
1815-1823
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Firmin & Langdale
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1812
1812-1814
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Philip Firmin
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1815-1821
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Firmin & Langdale
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153 Strand &
10 Clare Court
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1822-1828
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Firmin & Sons
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153 Strand &
10 Clare Court
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1824
1839
1853
1850’s-1875
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Firmin & Sons
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c.1825
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Firmin
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Strand London
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1826
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Robert Firmin
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153 Strand & Clare Court, Drury Lane
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1826
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Robert Firmin
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1829-1834
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P & R Firmin
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153 Strand & White Horse Yard
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1835-1837
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P R & S Firmin
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153 Strand & White Horse Yard
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1837
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P & S Firmin
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P & S Firmin
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153 Strand London
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1838
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Firmin & King
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1838
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Firmin & King
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153 Strand &13 Conduit St
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1839
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Samuel Firmin & Sons
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153 Strand & White Horse Yard
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1839
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Firmin & Sons
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153 Strand & White Horse Yard, Drury Lane
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1839-1849
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Philip & Samuel Firmin
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153 Strand &
13 Conduit St
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1841
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Philip & Samuel Firmin
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1850-1854
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Philip Firmin & Sons
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153 Strand &13 Conduit St
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1852-1875
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Firmin & Sons
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153 Strand London
& 13 Conduit St
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Types include American Civil War buttons
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Firmin & Sons
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13 Conduit St London
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1855
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P V Firmin & Sons
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153 Strand & 13 Conduit St
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Mid 19th C
Late 19th C
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Firmin & Sons
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London
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Two-hole buttons
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1856-1860
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Firmin & Sons
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153 Strand & 13 Conduit St
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Livery buttons
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1861-1863
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Firmin & Sons
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153-154 Strand &
13 Conduit Street
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1864-1879
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Firmin & Sons
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153-155 Strand &
13 Conduit Street
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1875
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Firmin & Sons
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153 Strand London
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1875
|
|
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Firm became a Ltd company and occupied these addresses:
153 Strand &
13 Conduit Street &
12 White Horse Yard &
20 Stanhope Street, Clare Market
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1876-1894
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Firmin & Sons Ld
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153 Strand London
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Livery buttons
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1876-1894
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Firmin & Sons Ld
|
135 Strand London
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Error in address: 135 for 153
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1879-1904
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Firmins
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47 Warwick Street W London
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c.1880-1904
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Firmin & Sons Ld
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47 Warwick St, Regent St London
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Livery buttons
|
1880-1894
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Firmin & Sons Ld
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153 Strand & 47 Warwick St London
|
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1880-1894
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Firmin & Sons Ltd
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153-155 Strand &
47 Warwick Street
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|
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Firmin & Sons Ld
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155 Strand, London
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Livery buttons
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1882-
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Firmin
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London & Birmingham
|
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1882-
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Firmin’s
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London & B’ham
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1882-
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Firmin Ltd
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London & Birmingham
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1882-
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Firmin & Sons Ld
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Birmingham
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1882-
|
Firmin & Sons Ld
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Halesowen
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1884-
|
Firmin & Sons Ltd
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London Patent 2346
|
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1894
|
|
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Company moved from Strand to 108 & 109 St Martins Lane
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After 1894
|
|
|
Company opened in Globe Works, Hockley, Birmingham, 6 Warwick Street
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1895-1904
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Firmin & Sons
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108-109 St Martins Lane & 47 Warwick Street
|
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1895-1915
|
Firmin & Sons Ld
|
St Martins Lane London
|
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1895-1915
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Firmin & Sons Ld
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108 St Martins Lane, London
|
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Early 20th C
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Firmin & Sons Ld
|
London
|
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Early 20th C
|
Firmin & Sons Ltd
|
London
|
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1905-1915
|
Firmin & Sons Ltd
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108-109 St Martins Lane &
6 Warwick Street
|
|
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Firmin & Sons Ltd
|
6 Warwick St.
Regent St London
|
|
1915
|
|
|
Company moved to Cork Street, which became head office and sole London address
|
1916-1968
|
Firmin & Sons Ltd
|
8 Cork Street
|
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20th C
|
Firmins Ltd
|
London
|
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Mid 20th C
|
Firmin
|
London
|
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Mid 20th C
|
Firmin
|
England
|
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1968
|
|
|
81 Ford Road became head office in London
|
1971
|
|
|
Birmingham factory moved from Globe Works to New Town Row
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FREAR
(See CAIRNS)
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Bibliography
Books
Bailey, Gordon - Detector Finds
Blair, Dennis G - British Buttons
Hughes and Lester - Big Book of Buttons
Luscomb, Sally C - The Collector’s Encyclopaedia of Buttons
Meredith, A & G & Cuddeford, M - Identifying Buttons
Peacock, Primrose - Discovering Old Buttons
Read, Brian A - History Beneath Our Feet
Squire, Gwen - Buttons, A Guide for Collectors
A Dictionary of English Costume
The Encyclopaedia of Fashion
The Magpie’s Companion
Periodicals
British Button Society Journal
Treasure Hunting Magazine
The Searcher
Internet websites
Diana’s Buttons - http://www.angelfire.com/wa/dianaspage/DianasButtonsWelcome.html
The Oldcopper Website - http://www.oldcopper.org/button_makers.htm
UKDFD - http://www.ukdfd.co.uk
UKDN - http://www.forumukdetectornet.co.uk/phpBB2/portal.php |
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