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Referee\'s whistle ACME Thunderer No. 58 brass whistle
BRAND NEW: A limited-edition brass whistle - stop and start play the traditional way!
This is the ultimate in referee and umpire whistles from the firm that invented the sporting whistle. The Thunderer No. 58 brass sports whistle was first produced in 1884 by brothers Joseph and James Hudson at their Birmingham works. It is still manufactured from start to finish in the historic Jewellery Quarter factory today.
Over the last 130 years The Thunderer No. 58 has undergone careful re-design to ensure that it continues to meet the demands of modern sport refereeing and umpiring. It creates a loud and clear noise with minimal effort. The pitch and tone can be altered to ensure you are in total control of the game.
The whistle comes in a blue carton and is a very special collectible version produced by the Birmingham factory especially for us. These limited edition whistles retail at up to £20 in Birmingham shops.
Our whistles are brand new and never blown. A prestigious version of this world-famous whistle still produced by the firm started by Joseph Hudson in 1870.
The ACME Thunderer No. 58 is a classic Birmingham \'toy\'manufactured from start to finish in the Birmingham Jewellery Quarter at the firm of J. Hudson. This version of the whistle is embossed: Positively Birmingham No. 58 on both side faces.
This polished brass finish whistle is one of four finishes for this special edition of the ACME No. 58. All are available on including:
- Gold plated - great for presents and comes in an ACME presenation box- Nickel plated - hard wearing workhorse- Antique brass
Heritage Details
The ACME Thunderer is one of the most iconic products produced in today’s Birmingham Jewellery Quarter. The large ACME No. 58 was developed in 1884 as the world’s first sports whistle and is one of the most popular whistle designs ever. The Thunderer No. 58 is made by hand, using traditional techniques, with much of the equipment dating back to the turn of the 20th Century. There are about twelve production steps depending on the finish. It is also known as the ‘Titanic whistle’ as it was used aboard the ill-fated liner.
The ACME Thunderer has been used at World Cup and FA Cup finals and by referees and umpires in various sports all over the world.The ACME Thunderer is a pea whistle with the cork ‘pea’ moving when the whistle is blown to produce the signature ‘rolling trill’. This makes it possible to vary the sound produced by the whistle, making it extremely versatile. The deep, variable and potentially very loud sound it can produce are key characteristics of the ACME Thunderer No. 58.
The J. Hudson factory features in the new book on the Jewellery Quarter: Invention and Design: Elkington of Birmingham (ISBN 978 0 9523179 9 9) and also the book Positively Birmingham. Materials and finish: The Thunderer No. 58 is constructed in the Birmingham factory from solid brass with a variety of finishes.
