His Majesty’s Prison Service brass uniform button, featuring the King’s Crown and representing the uniform insignia worn by prison officers in England and Wales during the reigns of King Edward VII, King George V and King George VI. The prison service developed from the historic system of local and central government prison administration, with uniformed officers responsible for the supervision, security and daily management of prison establishments. The King’s Crown identifies this as a pre-1953 pattern, making it an interesting example of early twentieth-century British prison service insignia.
The button is manufactured in brass and features the distinctive HMP lettering beneath the King’s Crown. The design identifies the wearer with His Majesty’s Prisons and forms part of the traditional uniform buttons used by the British prison service. Measuring approximately 23.5mm in diameter, this larger pattern is suitable for collections of British prison service memorabilia, institutional uniform buttons and police and prison insignia. It should be distinguished from later Queen’s Crown examples and subsequent chrome and anodised patterns introduced during the twentieth century.
Dimensions: Approx. 23.5mm diameter.
Condition: Very good. Please refer to the photographs for details of the brass surface, King’s Crown design, lettering, reverse and shank.
