Blything Hundred Volunteers, officer’s silver plated 24mm

An excellent example of a George III period Suffolk volunteer button. BLYTHING HUNDRED VOLUNTEERS appears around the edge with a Georgian crown and large numeral 2  in the centre. The open backed button is slightly convex and of officer’s quality, silver plated, 24mm in diameter. The backmark is FIRMIN & WESTALL, STRAND  – a mark recorded as being used from 1794 to 1812. The Suffolk Regimental Museum records this unit as being formed in 1803 in response to the prevailing fears of French invasion and being disbanded in 1813 as that threat receded. The term Hundred is an ancient name for a division used by some English counties. The 2 is a reflection of the fact that the companies of this unit wore different buttons. All the buttons of these obscure and often very small volunteer units are now hard to find. The button is age toned but would respond well to light cleaning if one wished.    mar3/2