British Made Whistles

You know how to whistle don’t you? ACME Whistles do. The world’s first and finest whistles.

The name ACME might conjure nostalgic images from up your childhood. Of Wilde Coyote trying to catch Road Runner with sticks of dynamite, bird seed or even earthquake pills manufactured by ACME. But in fact, the name first appeared courtesy of Joseph Hudson in 1870. A toolmaker from Birmingham who learnt his craft from the age of 12. Toiling by hand to create that unmistakable sound we all know today. ACME Whistles.

ACME Whistles have been at the cutting edge of whistle manufacturing ever since, inventing and patenting new products constantly. There have been so many firsts to come out of Barr Street in the Jewellery District of Birmingham. Which we won’t be able to do them all justice in this introduction. The ACME whistle is the epitome of British design and manufacturing in perfect harmony. An eye for detail and an ear for perfect pitch. The world’s finest whistles bar none from Barr Street. Wherever there is an iconic moment in British history, you can bet that ACME Whistles was there in the midst of it all.

Joseph Hudson created the first whistle used in football in the 1870’s. At the time referees used handkerchiefs to signal a foul or an infringement. Obviously unless you were watching the ref and not the ball, you would have no idea that the game had stopped. Joseph saw that the whistle would be a solution. He offered one of his early incarnations to the local team; Aston Villa politely refused the new whistle. Nottingham Forest though saw its benefits and its account books of 1872 record that they bought an ‘Umpires Whistle’. Where it is said that they first used it in a game against Sheffield Norfolk. (although the dates are disputed).

But in 1884 Joseph did in fact create the firsts sport whistle – ‘The Thunderer Whistle’. In 1966, that ‘They think it’s all over’ moment was signalled on an ACME by Swiss referee Gottfried Dienst. This famous Thunderer Whistle now resides in the football museum in Switzerland.

Shop ACME WHISTLES

ACME WHISTLES

Buy ACME Whistles from Sir Gordon Bennett. We are the purveyor of British made goods and gifts with free delivery on orders over £20

Showing all 10 results

  • Acme whistles polished brass clicker, d-day clicker, made in birmingham. acme cricket
    Acme Whistles

    Polished Brass Clicker

    £16.50
  • acme whistles metropolitan police whistle, iconic police whistle, heritage poilice whistle in presentation box
    Acme Whistles

    Metropolitan Police Whistle

    £12.50
  • acme whistles nickel plated titanic whistle, titanic silver whistle, thunderer whistle, iconic whistle from ACME whistles
    Acme Whistles

    Nickel Plated Titanic Whistle

    £15
  • acme whistles brass thunderer titanic 58 whistle, solid brass whistle, titanic whistle, thunderer whistle made in Birmingham, acme
    Acme Whistles

    Polished Brass Titanic Whistle

    £15
  • Acme whistles sterling silver men's cufflinks, silver cufflinks assay stamped silver men's cufflinks
    Acme Whistles

    Sterling Silver Whistle Cufflinks

    £100
  • Acme whistles sterling silver whistle necklace, silver ladies necklace with working miniature whistle, thunderer whistle necklace
    Acme Whistles

    Sterling Silver Whistle Necklace

    £100
  • ACME whistles Nickel plated harking horn, silver harking horn
    Acme Whistles

    Nickel Plated Harking Horn

    £34
  • ACME whistles brass harking horn, brass horn
    Acme Whistles

    Polished Brass Harking Horn

    £34
  • ACME whistles gold plated thunderer whistle, acme whistle thundere whistle presentation box in gold
    Acme Whistles

    Gold Plated Thunderer Whistle

    £25
  • ACME whistles Gold plated metropolitan police whistle, acme whistles gift boxed whistle gold plated
    Acme Whistles

    Gold Plated Metropolitan Police Whistle 15

    £29