Silver tin Whistle and khaki Lanyard, WW II. The whistle was made by J. Hudson and Company, Birmingham [England], 1939. J Hudson & Co was founded in the 1870s in Birmingham by Joseph Hudson (1848–1930) and his brother James Hudson (1850–1888). The company became a manufacturer of whistles and continues as Acme Whistles. Acme is the world’s largest and most famous producer of whistles. They are headquartered in the Jewellery Quarter district of Birmingham, England. In the 1930s the company faced competition from whistles made of tin, plastic and cast base metal materials made in Germany, Japan, USA and other countries. On 26 October 1940, the factory received a direct hit from a German air raid. No one was injured, but the factory suffered major damage. Air Raid Precautions whistles were made during the next few years and dated whistles for army, navy and Royal Air Force equipment and for Civil Defence.