YORK VOLUNTEERS, An officer’s gilt button, 1790s, with provenance

POA

The domed button has the title YORK VOLUNTEERS beneath a Georgian crown, the reverse has two holes and a central shank. These domed buttons are 20mm diameter.

This example was worn by Hewley John Baines (1762-1830) of Bell Hall, Naburn, York, whose hallmarked silver gilt gorget and gilt brass shoulder belt plate [which we sold some time ago] will be found in the Gallery section of the website. The York Volunteer Corps was raised in 1794 when Baines was commissioned as a Captain. He was promoted to Major in 1796 and Lieutenant Colonel in 1803. An account of a parade of the corps on the Knavesmire at York can be found in the Sun published in London  Monday Dec 29th 1794. He still appears in the twelfth edition of the List of Militia & Volunteers Officers of 1807 as one of the two Lieut Colonels, the other being Sir William Milnes, Bt. aug25/4 SOLD 27th August 2024

The curvature of the button makes it difficult to photograph.

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