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Barr St, Birmingham: Hudson’s ‘Thunderer’ Whistles

Acme whistles have been made in Birmingham since 1870 and the company is still going strong. They moved into their factory on Barr Street in the Jewellery Quarter in 1909. They are probably the most renowned whistle manufacturers in the world and made a significant contribution to the war to signal danger.

The two whistles used in WW1 were the famous ‘ACME Thunderer’ and the ‘Metropolitan’. Both were an important means of communication. They also developed the artillery whistle.

Location: Joseph Hudson & Co., 244 Barr Street, Birmingham B19 3AH
Image shows three Hudson generations who ran ACME Whistles; Joseph, his son, Clifford and grandson, Leon
Photograph courtesy of ACME Whistles

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