Epistle on the Whistle - Ken Boddie - Australia

Ken Boddie

7 years ago · 3 min. reading time · ~10 ·

Blogging

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Epistle on the Whistle

We've all heard of whistles, you know what I mean:

Oops, was that cyclone my fault? "Whistle up a storm".
Ultra cheap, woeful noise producer, when in the hands of the musically challenged? "Penny Whistle".
Produced by an oversexed long-haired canine, prone to pack behaviour? "Wolf Whistle".
Tools of choice for the Notre Damme Hunchback and the above canine, double act? "Bells and Whistles".
The result after you pull your instrument out of the autoclave? "Clean as a whistle".
What you do on the rare occasions that you may happen to be happy at your place of business engagement? "Whistle while you work".
The indirect, slow 'let-down' for the musically challenged? "Can you whistle? 'Cause you sure can't sing!".

My sincere apologies, but I tend to have a passion for cryptic cross-word puzzles, and for 'dad jokes'.

So we all know what the word whistle means and the sounds and associations that can be conjured up by said word. But let's assume that you can't make a whistling noise with your mouth, ever since mum and dad paid for your saliva-inducing, mechanical mouth-mending, facial contraceptive, orthodontic re-arrangement when you were in your teens.

Of course, whistles made of bone or wood have historically been used for a plethora of purposes, reportedly derived from pipes, and the like, such as used in Roman and Greek galleys to keep the slaves stroking in time. Then, in medieval days (or the 'evil days' as my kids used to say, no doubt believing that these were the 'olden' days that dad remembers well), whistles were reportedly used to assemble crossbowmen to defend castles and fortresses.

But these days, where do you turn if you require to produce a reliable warning sound; and when did the commercial reality come about of being able to run down to the local store and purchase a device for making shrill, high pitched and even warbling sounds (the latter courtesy of a cork ball squeezed into the main whistle chamber)?

Well let me introduce you to the England-based company that claims to have the "world's biggest and finest selection of professional whistles".

The Acme Whistle Co was reportedly founded by Joseph Hudson in 1870. Trained as a toolmaker, he converted the wash house at the back of his small working class home in Birmingham into a workshop and started off making snuff boxes, cork screws and whistles. It appears that business was slow for the next few years, until, in 1883 he invented a new whistle for the Metropolitan Police, capable of producing a "distinctive and far carrying sound". For those of you who may be familiar with the suburbs of London, the new whistle was tested in Clapham Common and was found to be "clearly heard" over a mile away.

Courtesy of Acme's website, here are a few of the 40 different whistles they have patented over the next 135 years or so:

Metropolitan Police Whistle
Acme Thunderer (title image)
Acme Siren
Silent Dog Whistle
Scout Whistle
Life Jacket Watersafe Whistle
Tornado.

Furthermore, here is an impressive list (again from their website) of some of the more famous organisations, including sporting bodies that use Acme whistles:

NATO forces
Royal Life Saving Society
International Mountain Rescue Council
Boy Scouts of USA
Singapore Police
Canadian Hockey
Hong Kong Life Guards Association
NFL
NCAA
FIFA
UN
FIMBRA
FINA

So successful has this company become that the Acme Thunderer alone has seemingly sold "over 200 million" and ACME claims to have "increased its export turnover to include 119 countries".

So next time

you and your local friendly politician undertake a whistle-stop tour; or
you put yourself at the top of the popularity list by whistle-blowing; or
you're desperate for cash and your so called best friends all tell you to whistle for it; or
it's been a stinking hot days and you really need something cold with which to wet your whistle;

then spare a thought for the memory of John Hudson and that fabulously long beard and moustache, and how he apparently used to individually test every single whistle, before it went out the door.

Thank goodness that quality control is now fully automated.

Now let me leave you with this parting thought .....

...................<<..................>>...................

When not researching the weird or the wonderful, the comical or the cultured, the sinful or the serious, I chase my creative side, the results of which can be seen as selected photographs of my travels on my website at:

http://ken-boddie.squarespace.com

The author of the above, Ken Boddie, besides being a sometime poet and occasional writer, is an enthusiastic photographer, rarely leisure-travelling without his Canon, and loves to interact with other like-minded people with diverse interests.

Ken's three day work week (part time commitment) as a consulting engineer allows him to follow his photography interests, and to plan trips to an ever increasing list of countries and places of scenic beauty and cultural diversity.

"""""

#Wolf Whistl #Whistle #Acme Thunderer #Penny Whistle #Acme

Comments

Ken Boddie

4 years ago #36

#46
I thought a few times, Prav, about organising a trip to your subcontinent, but it never gets to the top of the planning list. I guess it’ll have to be a ‘whistle stop tour’. 🤣😂🤣

Bill Stankiewicz

4 years ago #35

Great 👍

Ken Boddie

7 years ago #34

#42
We've got to wet the bab's head with something tastier tha a terrible tube of Fosters, Dean-san. I Need to get me one of those truffle hounds that Randall Burns was hinting at and a decent bottle of well chilled Sauvignon Blanc.

Ken Boddie

7 years ago #33

#42
we've got to wet the bab's head with something better than a tasteless tube if Fisters Dean-san

Dean Owen

7 years ago #32

#29
That is fantastic news! I'll have to crack open a Fosters on the day! Congratulations grandpa elect!

Ken Boddie

7 years ago #31

#38
We aim to please, Joyce. 😊

Ken Boddie

7 years ago #30

#36
Perhaps, Michael, they were a one spit wonder?

Ken Boddie

7 years ago #29

#37
Glad to see Acme is alive and well and 'blowing' volleyball, Aaron. Unfortunately I have also been called a "common tool" ..... 🤣

Joyce 🐝 Bowen Brand Ambassador @ beBee

7 years ago #28

A fun, informative piece. Thanks!

Ken Boddie

7 years ago #27

#34
I can't seem to find anything on VH & Co, Michael, except for a women's clothing company in Stratford-upon-Avon. Perhaps they were 'blown away' by the popularity and marketing skills of Acme? 😂 Thanks for the info.

Ken Boddie

7 years ago #26

#27
I refuse to pass comment on the "Vuvuzela", Claire, on the grounds that I may incriminate myself. Totally off the record, however, the deafening simulated sound of 40,000 wasps in one large confined space may, at best, serve the purpose of muffling poor sports commentary, or, at worst, chase off tsetse flies and midges. 😂

Ken Boddie

7 years ago #25

#30
The wind of change keeps blowing, Praveen. But these days the changes mostly seem to be for the worse, or perhaps it's just history repeating itself again and again and ......

Ken Boddie

7 years ago #24

I have it on advice from my daughter, Dean-san, that dad will be grandad in about 2 months. So you can look forward, soon thereafter, to my dad jokes improving when they become grand, dad jokes. As for the Chinese whistle, perhaps poor quality control has its benefits in some circumstances after all? 🤣

Ken Boddie

7 years ago #23

#25
Well, Phil ..... As one who can't whistle, I can't give advice, Unless it's on buying a whistling device, If their rude remarks are making you bristle, Then play them shrill tunes on a cheap penny whistle.

Dean Owen

7 years ago #22

Enough of the dad jokes Ken Boddie-sensei, when are we going to hear grandpa jokes! Giddyup! I've actually been trying to teach my daughter to whistle. Not an easy thing to do. I bought her the Chinese version of the Thunderer which cost all of 10 pence, but thankfully all it can do is blow a stream of noiseless air through the halls of the living room.

Phil Friedman

7 years ago #21

Ken, this brought a smile and a chuckle. For besides being oft told my head is a knuckle, I've repeatedly been thistled with advice to "go whistle."

Ken Boddie

7 years ago #20

#23
Talk about whistling up a storm, Kev. Perhaps he was annoyed at his cigar smoke becoming turbulent. 😀

Kevin Pashuk

7 years ago #19

A tweet or a toot would not be moot, Should you desire attention. Purse your lips around Sir Winston, You'll find yourself in detention. Sorry for the bad verse Ken... Your post reminded me of something I read in a Churchill biography. Apparently he hated people who whistled, and would publicly dress them down for doing so. It's a good thing he had other qualities, like being able to save England.

Ken Boddie

7 years ago #18

Many thanks for the share, Milos Djukic 👍

Ken Boddie

7 years ago #17

#18
As rugby is a "hooligan's game played by gentlemen", Steve, then surely all you need to do is ask them politely? Ha ha. 😂

Ken Boddie

7 years ago #16

#17
Try a tin whistle, Ian, and then see if you tin whistle. 🤣

Ken Boddie

7 years ago #15

#16
I often wonder, Gert, if Acme should also be selling ear defenders? 🤔

Ian Weinberg

7 years ago #14

Ken Boddie I had a wooden whistle but it wooden whistle. So I bought a steel whistle but it steel wooden whistle! (Not my own, picked it up somewhere ... not the whistle, but the ditty. But it steel funny wooden you agree?)

Gert Scholtz

7 years ago #13

Ken Boddie I had one of the old Acme whistles as a boy - it was my pride and joy. It had a little round cork ball in the main hollow. When you blow it the little ball made it vibrate in your hand and it made a huge noise. Thanks for this Whistle Down the Wind!

Gert Scholtz

7 years ago #12

Ken Boddie I had one of these Acme whistles as a boy - it was my pride and joy. It had a little round cork ball in the main hollow. When you blow it the little ball made is vibrate in your hand and it made one huge noise. Thanks for this Whistle Down the Wind!

Ken Boddie

7 years ago #11

#13
You're most welcome as always, my friend.

Paul Walters

7 years ago #10

#11
Ken Boddie Thats a serious Dad joke !!!!

Ken Boddie

7 years ago #9

#10
The answer, Paul, is "blowing in the wind" 🤣

Paul Walters

7 years ago #8

Ken Boddie Must check to see if those chaps that blow their whistles on the streets of Bali when cars reverse use the ACME brand ..God knows they are loud enough. Great piece as always ...where DO you find the time

Ken Boddie

7 years ago #7

#6
You'll find 'whistle-blowing' near the end of the post, Debasish, but thanks for conveying your enjoyment. 👍

Ken Boddie

7 years ago #6

#3
#4 Presumably the commissioning individual was either tone deaf or had a distorted sense of humour, Sara, by asking a musical instrument builder to produce a doubtless painfully shrill instrument of warning. 😂

Ken Boddie

7 years ago #5

#2
Perhaps you could pick up a spotter's fee then, Pascal, by introducing them to the Acme Whistle Co! 🤣

Ken Boddie

7 years ago #4

#1
Well blow me down, Todd!

Sara Jacobovici

7 years ago #3

"So we all know what the word whistle means and the sounds and associations that can be conjured up by said word." Well read on as Ken Boddie tells us so much more!

Sara Jacobovici

7 years ago #2

Love it Ken Boddie. Thanks for another enlightening and enjoyable post. As I am musically inclined, I'll add the following piece of whistle history about a train "whistling off" when it gets underway. "John Holliday describes the history of train whistles as originating in 1832, by way of a stationmaster at the Leicester and Swannington Railway opening, who suggested that the trains should have an audible signaling device. A local musical instrument builder was commissioned to provide a steam-powered whistle, then known as a "steam trumpet"."

Pascal Derrien

7 years ago #1

Whistle blowing is one the favorite past time of irish politic at the moment :-)

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