speagle Posted December 27, 2014 Share Posted December 27, 2014 Got this from my son for Christmas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mervyn Mitton Posted December 27, 2014 Share Posted December 27, 2014 Ed - a nice present and one that will go nicely in your collection. Whistles replaced hand rattles in the 1880's - tests had proved that they could be heard three times further then the rattles. The Metropolitan was the name given to it by the makers - Hudson and Sons in Birmingham. Most households made sure that they had one in case of emergency - no telephones in those days. However, not all of these whistles did Police service. Those carried by Police usually have the Constable's number engraved on the side. Does yours have this ? Best wishes for 2015. Mervyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig Posted December 27, 2014 Share Posted December 27, 2014 Ed, i wouldn't worry if your whistle doesn't have a number on it. Mine certainly doesn't and I don't remember seeing any whistle with a number on it during my service. Craig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mervyn Mitton Posted December 27, 2014 Share Posted December 27, 2014 Craig - did you ever see the post I made about the missing police dog in Durban - about the 11/12th. There is a picture of an enormous Rottie and I wondered what you though of him. Mervyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speagle Posted December 28, 2014 Author Share Posted December 28, 2014 REF #2: Mervyn, The whistle does not have a number. all it has is "The Metropolitan" across the top and "Made in England" at the bottom.. Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mervyn Mitton Posted December 28, 2014 Share Posted December 28, 2014 Ed - I wouldn't worry - as Craig says, most of the modern Police whistles are not numbered. Mervyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Megan Posted December 28, 2014 Share Posted December 28, 2014 Somewhere I have something slightly different - it looks like a police whistle (sounds like one too) but it has 'GPO' engraved on it. It belonged to my maternal grandfather who worked in the GPO stores, firstly in Birmingham and then in Edinburgh. Not quite sure why he needed a whistle, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mervyn Mitton Posted December 29, 2014 Share Posted December 29, 2014 In some areas they blew a a whistle to advise people that post had been delivered - particulalry where the box was separate from the house. I always thought the whistles they used were of the 'pea' variety , however, he may have worked with registered and had this for security. Best wishes for 2015. Mervyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MetPolice Posted January 1, 2015 Share Posted January 1, 2015 I think the GPO had whistles for security in branches?? They probably had many different uses for them! All the best for the year ahead. Zeb. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mervyn Mitton Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 Zeb - best wishes for 2015. I hope it will be a productive one for you. Drop me an IM at some time and let me know how you're collecting it is getting along. Mervyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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