Joseph Hudson (1848–1930) was an inventor in

Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands, within the wider West Midlands (region), West Midlands region, in England. It is the Lis ...

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

during the late 19th century and the founder of J Hudson & Co in 1870, later to become the world largest whistle manufacturer . Hudson entered a competition held by the Metropolitan police force in

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

in 1883 to design a better way of attracting people's attention. He won a contract to supply the police with their new devices, a small but loud ' whistle'. Prior to this time the police force had to rely on hand rattles and whistles were only thought of as musical instruments or toys. His whistle is still used by the force and many others worldwide. He later invented the first

referee A referee is an official, in a variety of sports and competition, responsible for enforcing the rules of the sport, including sportsmanship decisions such as ejection. The official tasked with this job may be known by a variety of other title ...

whistle for

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

matches, prior to this handkerchiefs were used at games. Hudson also invented the 'Acme Thunderer', the first ever pea whistle, which has been, and remains, the most used whistle in the world, from train guards to dog handlers, party goers to police officers.

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External links

ACME Whistles
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hudson, Joseph English inventors People from Birmingham, West Midlands 1930 deaths 1848 births