Not a little confusing for everyone is the subject of distributors( as opposed to manufacturers )These were companies with product lines that had their name stamped on whistles along with either a police force — or without a force. We find that by lining them up these series of London police force issues for decades and recording all of the modifications and improvements, they can be classified into numbered steps (with variations of course). Some additional work has been done to record stamp imperfections with dated whistles. We will however focus primarily on the first 11 which are called MP1 through MP11. So then, for research purposes we will be restricting the view of police whistles to those that have the following on the stamp —- from the manufacturer. At first the numbers were engraved down the side as seen in the next picture and originally, they had to be inspected and stamped as such on the ring. Both can be seen next… A repair was made to the N in metropolitan, shifting occurred in the facial stamp in MP10. Considerable studies have been recorded of lettering and dating compared to dated military issues.

Typically, the buttons were taken from the clothes of that particular uniform and formed into a whistle. It was a very rustic ( literally ) way to make them. Police stamped buttons are rare as most button whistles were for military or livery.After the adoption of the GSW by the 'Met' many other forces began to equip all their officers, and those already using the Beaufort whistle exchanged them for GSWs (Some Scottish forces, notably Glasgow Police who used round pea whistles, changed to escargot whistles). The GSW could be held in the teeth keeping the hands free but this was not possible with the Beaufort. Hudsons were not the only manufacturers and three other companies, W Dowler & Sons, A De Courcy & Co and J Barrall between them supplied appreciable numbers to many forces. Today, practically all GSWs can be dated to a few years, broad guidelines are given below. These were available to the public, yet could be said to be police whistles (technically). For the collector, they would still fall short between police, associated police and general service whistles (GSWs). In 1883 tests were carried out in open country with favourable wind conditions, at the Rifle Range, Hunslow Heath. A regulation rattle competed against a Manchester City Police whistle. The official tests showed that the rattle could be heard faintly at 500 yards and not at all at 800 yards. The whistle could be clearly heard at 900 yards but was ill-defined at 1000 yards. The Metropolitan Police decided to go ahead and advertisments were placed in the press inviting whistle manufacturers to submit models. Exactly how many companies submitted whistles is not known but three names are on record; C J Piejus & Co, Bent & Parker and J Hudson & Co. The various whistles submitted were tested on Clapham Common and one of the patterns sent by Hudsons, similar to the Manchester City Police whistle, was chosen. A mix-up led to the contract being placed with Bent & Parker. (Interestingly, Joseph Hudson, the founder of J Hudson & Co, at some time in the 1860s worked for Bent & Parker, having started work, aged 12, in 1860). The improvements were made and then retrofitted. By that time, the mouthpiece had changed from a cast mouthpiece to a machined ‘rolled’ edged mouthpiece. Let’s switch to round whistles in progression. In researching this we have not found typically rounds with police force stamps. Although very early police forces did use round whistles, they typically did not stamp any forces on them. Recently a DeCourcy manufactured round surfaced but it is the exception. Tube Shaped Whistles

In addition, there are associated titles aimed at the general police market, but not as customized, such as: When one then considers Police Whistles more closely, we see that the many that came before are now of much more interest. Next comes the study of the manufacturers, and ultimately collecting those makes for more of a challenge. That in turn perhaps grows into much more of what might have become lost or forgotten history.The work was a mutual effort and the aid of John from the Whistlecollection which I should credit for much of the info photos & encouragement. Thanks ! A DE COURCY & CO. Founded by Alfred De Courcy, a talented engineer and one-time Hudson foreman, who left in 1888 to start his own business. He supplied many forces from about 1900 but sold the whistle making section of his business to Hudsons in 1927. One of our most popular and enduring whistle designs is the ACME Metropolitan Police whistle. This is a whistle with a rich history, and an iconic look and sound that is all its own. Pre-1870, the London Metropolitan Police depended on heavy and cumbersome rattles to signal to each other over long distances. They were not particularly effective and an alternative was needed. Joseph Hudson created the Metropolitan Police whistle after an unfortunate incident when a violin was dropped, producing an ear splitting sound. The resulting whistle is an icon of the Metropolitan Police force’s history, one that revolutionised communications for Bobbies on the beat in its time.

Building on the success of the Metropolitan Police whistle, the overall design was applied to the ACME Scout whistle. This whistle, recognisable as the direct descendant of the original, is highly regarded among outdoor enthusiasts and organisations like the Scout Association. The Scout whistle's design and functionality make it an essential tool for those spending time in the wilderness. wmavner on The “Uneedit” Multitool whistle, Round pea Whistle , Extractor . corkscrew & cigar cutter , Victorian, England.Whistles were vital for police officers in the late 1800s and throughout the 1900s until radios took over communications between officers. Police whistles can be heard for over one mile, and they produce a recognisable sound that many people still readily identify today. ACME are the original producers of the police whistle; you can still buy an original Metropolitan police whistle online. Anyone with a family history in policing or a new police officer who has just been accepted on the force will be overjoyed to receive an ACME original police whistle as a gift. The Liverpool beaufort was the longest lasting of all police issue beauforts and this one is by DeCourcy next to a Dowler Lancashire County. Here is an example of an escargot dedicated to Staffordshire and then a unique design to the Polish Citizens Militia – state police of the 1950s. Williamson, Lori (24 September 2017). "US Army Trench Whistle". Minnesota Historical Society . Retrieved 30 June 2022. Beyond this, some had their name stamped on the whistle as ‘ maker’ — when they weren’t the ‘maker’. They were a maker of products and were advertising such on the whistle (See SPOTLIGHT #92) Whistology

How unique is the design of the whistle? Metropolitan tube-shaped whistles are far more common than Hiatt combination whistles which are quite rare. What condition is the whistle in? How large was the police force and how long did it last? Can the whistle be dated by that? How old is the vintage and construction? A rare opportunity to look at a TOPLESS MP3 whistle and the Patent stamped on diaphragm – disk . since mid. 1885 Outdoor activities demand reliable means of communication, and the Scout whistle fulfils this role admirably. Its piercing sound carries over long distances, providing a vital means of signalling and alerting others in potentially dangerous situations. The Scout whistle has become synonymous with safety, ensuring that adventurers can navigate the great outdoors with confidence.

In 1883, he began experimenting with pea-whistle designs that could produce an intense sound that could grab attention from over a mile away. His invention was discovered by accident when he dropped his violin and it shattered on the floor. Observing how the discordant sound of the breaking strings travelled ( trill effect), Hudson had the idea to put a pea in the whistle. [6] Prior to this, whistles were much quieter and were only thought of as musical instruments or toys for children. After observing the problems that local police were having with effectively communicating with rattles, [7] [8] he realised that his whistle designs could be used as an effective aid to their work. [6] [9] Bird whistle MP8 would look just like MP7, however a significant change would be to the diaphragm and therefore date it to 1898 when that patent would be filed for the internal part and used in the next whistle. It is now changed from the patented 435 to the patented 19700. Note also the change in PATENT location. ACME Whistles stands as the oldest and most renowned whistle manufacturer in the world. Among our impressive repertoire of whistles are two iconic creations: the Metropolitan Police whistle and the Scout whistle. These whistles, manufactured in Birmingham, hold immense historical significance and continue to play vital roles in communication and safety to this day.