Stokes & Son/Stokes and Sons Buttons: Pre Federation

According to Gregery Eccelston, after the partnership of Stokes & Martin, there was a new partnership between Thomas Stokes and his eldest son, Henry Richmond (Harry) Stokes, named Stokes & Son. The name officially changed in 1903 to Stokes & Sons when Thomas William and Edgar Vincent Stokes were recognised as partners.

I have not seen any buttons backmarked “Stokes & Son”, although buttons were undoubtedly made between 1893-1903. Please contact me if you can share any images! It is possible that all or most of the buttons produced in this time period were backed with old ‘Stokes & Martin’ plates, or simply “Stokes Melbourne”. However, the existence of ‘Stokes & Sons’ button with the Queen Victoria Crown would indicate that the backmark was used before the official name change. Although the name had not changed officially, several sons were already associated with the business during this time.

These include:

G.P.O.

NSW Military Forces

NSW Mounted Rifles

Victorian Military Forces

Permanent Victorian Artillery

Victorian Artillery Staff

Victorian Volunteer & Permanent Artillery

Victorian Naval Brigade

Penal Department

Melbourne Fire Brigade

Un-named Fire Brigade

King’s School cadets

Tasmania Police Force

Tasmanian Volunteer & Permanent Artillery

Launceston Artillery

Tasmania Volunteer, Medical & Retired staff

South Australia Railways

South Australia Fire Brigade

General Service, Boer War era

?Rifle Volunteer band (undated)

?Mercantile Marine (undated)

? Hobart fire Brigade (undated)

? City of Melbourne (undated)

?Australasian United Steam Navigation Co. (undated)

?Huddart Parker Ltd (undated)

 

Backmark “P.O.P.  Melb”

This button also sports a QV crown (i.e. pre 1902)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Please let me know if you have any other “P.O.P” buttons.

The article below shows confusion as to the company name, with the name Stokes & Son used, but dated in 1913.

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