Name/Title
East Sussex Constabulary whistle 1909-1922Entry/Object ID
735Description
Chrome plated East Sussex Constabulary police whistle and chain with button hook. Marked, "The Metropolitan, Patent East Sussex Constabulary, J. Hudson and Co. 244 Barr Street Birmingham". On top, "Patent 5727-08"Use
For police officers to raise the alarm and summon the assistance of other officers.Context
The use of the whistle by police to replace the rattle as a means of raising the alarm, only became widespread after 1884, when whistles were adopted by the Metropolitan Police in London. Joesph Hudson and Co. supplied these whistles to the Met. and the "Metropolitan" trademark was registered to reflect this, the connection being used heavily in the company's marketing. With the widespread introduction of the personal radio in the late 1960s, whistles became obsolete, though many police forces continued to issue them as a traditional part of the uniform.
To begin with a number of Birmingham based companies produced whistles for the police but Hudsons soon became the largest manufacturer. The company was formed in 1870 and is still in existence as The Acme Whistle Company. Whilst most famous for producing whistles, Hudson and Co. also manufactured other items of police equipment until the 1950's.
This particular whistle was made for East Sussex Constabulary between 1909 and 1922, and has been chrome plated during a later refurbishment. It would have originally had a nickel silver finish (see item 2328). It can be dated by the use of the patent number stamp on the top. This is the most recent and most common type of whistle marked with the East Sussex Constabulary force name. It is unique among UK Police whistles for having the force name on a plaque or over label, rather than stamped on the body of the actual whistle. This is thought to cover up an unwanted stamp but to date none have been removed to see what.
Though this particular style of whistle dates from 1922 at the latest, whistles of this and even earlier manufacture, were still being issued within East Sussex Constabulary in the 1960s. This suggests that the force had very good housekeeping arrangements, insuring the return of equipment from officers who left or retired so that items could be re - issued, several times over. Sussex Constabulary/Police stopped issuing whistles in the mid 1970s, and never had any produced bearing the force names.