✅ SOLVED Thunderer whistle find age?

FinderTravis

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Nov 4, 2022
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British Columbia.
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Found while water detecting in small BC town with an earlier paddle wheeler and Ferry crossing history.

Read The Thunderer Hudson's Patent small pea whistles were first used by Scotland Yard in the UK after a contract was won by Joseph Hudson during 1883. Believe it is an early make, pre ACME?, though cannot find any mention of the type/make of whistle other than it was 'a small but loud pea whistle' to determine precise age of find and or possibly the profession of who it may have been used by..
Looks as though it would have also been gold gilt at one time.
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Cool old whistle.

Joseph Hudson & Co. of Birmingham did indeed produce the first British police whistle (demonstrated in 1883, but the contract was not granted until 1884). However it was a “tube” whistle and titled “The Metropolitan”. The “escargot” (snail) whistle, like yours, wasn’t patented by Hudson until 1891. They used the “Acme” branding in conjunction with "Thunderer" and other brandings since at least 1895; some “Thunderer” whistles have it, while others do not.

Compare the ‘knop’ on yours to these military versions from 1899 and 1927. The knop was re-designed in 1924, so I think yours reliably dates between 1891-1924.

1891 Patent:
Escargot1.jpg


1924 Patent:
Escargot2.jpg


[Pictures from >whistleshop.co.uk<]...
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Upvote 1
Cool old whistle.

Joseph Hudson & Co. of Birmingham did indeed produce the first British police whistle (demonstrated in 1883, but the contract was not granted until 1884). However it was a “tube” whistle and titled “The Metropolitan”. The “escargot” (snail) whistle, like yours, wasn’t patented by Hudson until 1891. They used the “Acme” branding in conjunction with "Thunderer" and other brandings since at least 1895; some “Thunderer” whistles have it, while others do not.

Compare the ‘knop’ on yours to these military versions from 1899 and 1927. The knop was re-designed in 1924, so I think yours reliably dates between 1891-1924.

1891 Patent:
Escargot1.jpg


1924 Patent:
Escargot2.jpg


[Pictures from >whistleshop.co.uk<]

Whistles like this were used by the military, on boats, by railroads, by scouts, in schools, by sporting referees and for a number of other official or civilian purposes. Military and railroad whistles usually have an indication of that stamped on them.
 

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Solution
Thank You!
Cool old whistle.

Joseph Hudson & Co. of Birmingham did indeed produce the first British police whistle (demonstrated in 1883, but the contract was not granted until 1884). However it was a “tube” whistle and titled “The Metropolitan”. The “escargot” (snail) whistle, like yours, wasn’t patented by Hudson until 1891. They used the “Acme” branding in conjunction with "Thunderer" and other brandings since at least 1895; some “Thunderer” whistles have it, while others do not.

Compare the ‘knop’ on yours to these military versions from 1899 and 1927. The knop was re-designed in 1924, so I think yours reliably dates between 1891-1924.

1891 Patent:
View attachment 2180714

1924 Patent:
View attachment 2180715

[Pictures from >whistleshop.co.uk<]

Whistles like this were used by the military, on boats, by railroads, by scouts, in schools, by sporting referees and for a number of other official or civilian purposes. Military and railroad whistles usually have an indication of that stamped on them.
Well that narrows it down considerably! thank you very much for the solve, reply and info!:icon_thumleft:

Is an interesting bit on the ''Escargot'' design being issued to government employee's, and once being gilt, could very well help uncover a little more history of its use/story🙂
When not half full of water and sand it still sounds with a sharp warbling tone when tooted and is currently being used to alert a 14 year old chihuahua every now and then, though do to condition of the old cork ''pea'' and annoyance to others in household within earshot it may soon be retired as a piece of history for display only purposes. Cheers!

,
 

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