Biographical Note: Alfred Button was born at Maidstone, Kent, on 18 December 1830. He joined the Royal Navy in 1847 and served through the Crimean War. He gained the Baltic, Crimean, and Turkish Medals, and also held the Sebastopol clasp. In 1875 Button, with his family, left England for New Zealand and landed at Auckland, where he was engaged for some years in dairy farming at Mt Albert and Mangere. He sold out and went to Lyttelton, Christchurch, where he was appointed signalman at the Sumner Road Signal Station for the Lyttelton Harbour Board, a post he held until retiring around 1906. Button died in 1911, at Lyttelton, Christchurch, aged 82 years.

Note: On 14th December 1901 the Press reported on a ceremony held in the Canterbury Provincial Council Chambers, when the Governor, Lord Ranfurly presented a number of Imperial and New Zealand veterans with new ribbons for their medals as promised during the visit of the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall. Alfred Button was one of those present and received new ribbons for his Baltic Medal, Crimea medal and Turkish Crimea Medal. (Press, 14 December, 1901, page 7)