Spotlight > By Whistle Category > Beaufort Whistle Articles > 136 Liverpool Beaufort Distributors
Whistory
When it comes to whistles, the history of distributer stamps used on them in conjunction with Police issues is enigmatic. Furthermore, when we narrow this search down to beaufort/conical whistles, it is curiously narrowed to just one city – Liverpool. Therefore, this study is focused on the aspect of Police issued beaufort whistles accompanied by supplier/distributer stamps. The distributer would have ordered them and then supplied them to the police force, in this process advertising their company.
Why focus on police issued beaufort whistles with distributer stamps?
The question begs to be asked, what is the connection with the Liverpool Police?
Notably, in most countries manufacturers did not venture into this model (or shaped) whistle, and if they did, then it was sparsely done, especially with nickel plated brass or nickel silver, and is usually seen in britannia if done so. Even France and Germany, both holding major whistle manufacturers, did little with them.
Therefore, a study of the stamped whistles known to exist can be edifying. For example, Liverpool City Police (Liverpool Police inclusive) emerges as a longstanding and prolific user of distributer stamped beaufort whistles, perhaps the only force doing so ‘late in the game’.
Therefore, this is long after all other police forces ceased ordering beauforts and went to classic tube-shaped whistles or even escargots — incorporating mouthpieces/tooth grips. So, this makes it even more curious why very few beauforts with supplier stamps are found with mouthpieces. (Indeed, only Hudson, De Courcy, Barrall, Yates and a scant few unknowns used mouthpieces on beauforts at all)
The demise of the beaufort is much attributed to tube shaped whistles offering the advantage of mouthpieces that made it easier to hold a whistle in the mouth (or teeth), freeing up both hands. Most certainly arguable, this was perhaps more of a successful marketing ploy. Indeed, no police beaufort, distributer stamped whistle has been found with a mouthpiece. However, a Liverpool City Police without a distributer is shown on page 34 of More Whistles by Gilchrist, albeit the mouthpiece is very small. It is under Hudson, but more likely De Courcy.
Beaufort Whistles, the “Metropolitan”
Topman and Gilchrist state ‘The immediate success of the ‘Metropolitan’ resulted in most police forces adopting its use, including provincial constabularies which already issued the Beaufort whistle, a pattern which resembles a tapered tube, the smallest end being placed in the mouth. Whereas the mouthpiece of the ‘Metropolitan’ could be securely gripped by the teeth, leaving the hands free, this was not really possible with the typical Beaufort. Hudson’s encouraged sales of the ‘Metropolitan’ by offering to take back the Beaufort whistles but in spite of this some forces, notably Liverpool City Police, retained it for some years’
One might ask, was the use of Liverpool City Police whistles restricted to the police force and illegal for the common populace, as were Metropolitan Police whistles?
No other police beauforts are found accompanied with a distributer stamp other than Liverpool Police. Indeed, all but 2 are found that are stamped for the Liverpool City Police force, the others are simply stamped Liverpool Police (Harford, Smith and Wright).
Later Manufacturers of the Beaufort Whistle
Lastly, circa 1890s Hudson ( AKA ACME ) was the primary manufacturer of these whistles to the retailers, with the exception of Dowler manufacturing one for Smith and Wright and Walton for J.J. Hartley. Although John Barrall, Richard A. Walton and Alfred De Courcy all supplied beaufort whistles stamped for the Liverpool City Police, they did not do so through a retailer.
Ironically it appears that Hudson manufactured all their beauforts well after the introduction of the ‘Metropolitan’ ( 1883). In effect marketing beauforts against their own tube-shaped models, therefore taking advantage of two markets. It should be noted that both Hudson and De Courcy manufactured a ‘Liver bird’ tube shaped whistle for the Liverpool police.
Accordingly, for our study, Liverpool City Police force, ordered their whistles from at least 20 different retailers (with variations). Why would this be? Were there incentives offered? Why would the Liverpool City Police affiliate itself with retailers at all for that matter? If it was to save money, why so many distributers? Additionally, there seems to be a pattern of tool makers and cutlery as a theme of the distributors? —– As in Alice and Wonderland it gets ‘curiouser and curiouser’.
Whistle Classification
| Category | Beaufort (conical) |
| Order | Hudson Dowler Walton |
| Type | Police |
| Class | nickel silver nickel plated brass |
| Sub class | distributor stamps |
Whistle Archeology
The following are the 26 different known/recorded distributer stamps found on police issue Liverpool beauforts with current research into the companies represented.
Green = known distributers/addresses
?? = unknown manufacturer/distributer/supplier of goods
yellow highlight = no picture
parenthesis = stamp variations
addresses = as researched on the internet
Bold = goods manufactured/supplied
- Aird & Anderson 12 Whitechapel Liverpool ———————— tools, planes
(Aird & Anderson Whitechapel) - Matheson, Alexander & Son 41 Byrom St. Liverpool—————- tools, planes
- Carr brothers 105 Dale Street–————————————— Razors
- Fairclough, R. – 47-49, market St Manchester ———————– tools plough planes
- Haigh —————————————————————— ??
- Ibbotson, T (Thomas) 54, Whitechapel Sheffield ——————– cutlers
(Ibbotson, Whitechapel) - J.G. Dodd St Johns Lane ———————————————- razors
- J.J. Harley Ltd 27 Old Haymarket Liverpool————————— planes
- I. Jones —————————————————————- ??
- J. Oxley No. 77, Hollis Croft Sheffield cutlery or Edwin J. ———— engineers & machinist tools
- Kelly ( Robert ) & Sons 30,32 Renshaw St. —————————- tool, merchants and cutlers
(Kelly, R & Sons)
(Kelly, R)
(Kelly, R 32 Renshaw) - Potts, R.B. 43, Park Lane and 106, Price St —————————– ironmonger
- Plunkett, L—————————————————————- ??
- Sarginson Bros. 105 Dalf St Liverpool ———————————– Sword Cutlers
- Schofield, R. 14 Old Hall Street —————————————— cutlery ( knife )
- Shaw brothers 67, LORD St.———————————————– iron mongers
- Slack & Howden 87 Park Lane Liverpool ——————————— planes
- The Enterprise Dale St. —————————————————- ??
- Taylor Brothers 213 London Rd. —————————————— ironmongers
(Taylor & Sons) - Whiting, W.G. Liverpool, Manchester ( royal exchange ) 6 market st. — razors, merchants
- Liverpool Police ( not City Police )
- Harford Richmond street ————————————————- ??
- Smith & Wright Ltd Birmingham Brearly St Aston ( Dowler )———— Buttons
Liverpool & Liverpool City Police –— no retailers/suppliers :
- Liverpool Police – Hudson
- Liverpool Police – De Courcy
- Liverpool City Police – Walton – no retailer
- Liverpool City police – Barrall – ‘perfect’ – no retailer
On Liverpool Police Itself
Points of reference
The Liverpool City Police was officially formed in 1880. Liverpool. The timeline was Borough Police 1836, Liverpool becoming a city then (changed to Bootle County Borough 1967, Merseyside 1974.)
In 1903, the first equipment allowance was put into effect when the village authorized the purchase of clubs, belts and whistles for its force.
A major seaport, Liverpool’s first dock was the world’s first enclosed commercial dock, the Old Dock, built in 1715. ) second only to London – 220 miles away, close to Whitechapel.
The distance of Liverpool from London is 214 miles or 3½ hours driving, with Birmingham halfway in between. It is a major port city NW and across the water is Dublin, Ireland.
Whistology
An array to show the impact of this type of model and variety within.
Photo courtesy of the Tackagain collection
Now we will run through most whistles corresponding to known whistle stamps. The variety of stamps of certain suppliers by the same manufacturer would indicate over a number of years.
Photo Examples of Beaufort Whistles by Suppliers/Distributors
Aird & Anderson
Photo courtesy of the Tackagain collection
A. Matheson
Not pictured
Carr Brothers
Photo courtesy of the Tackagain collection
Fairclough
Photo courtesy of the Tackagain collection
Haigh
Photo courtesy of the Tackagain collection
Ibbotson
Photo courtesy of the Tackagain collection
De Courcy, Uncredited Photo
J.G. Dodd
Uncredited Photo
J.J. Harley
Photo courtesy of the Tackagain collection
J. Oxley
Photo courtesy of the Tackagain collection
Kelly and sons, R. Kelly and Sons, R. Kelly 32 Renshaw St., R. Kelly.
Apparently these were supplied over a number of many years.
These were all supplied from Hudson’s.
Photo courtesy of the Tackagain collection
R.B. Potts
Photo courtesy of the Tackagain collection
Plunkett
Not pictured
Sarginson Brothers
Not pictured
R. Schofield
Uncredited Photo
Shaw Brothers
Photo courtesy of the Tackagain collection
Slack and Cowden
Not pictured
The Enterprise
Not pictured
Taylor Brothers – London
Photo courtesy of the Tackagain collection
W.G. Whiting Manchester
Photo courtesy of the J. Fitch collection
Liverpool Police ( not Liverpool City Police )
This beaufort probably by Dowler instead of Hudson’s
Photo courtesy of the J. Fitch collection
Smith and Wright (Dowler)
Uncredited Photo
Beaufort with Supplier Stamps: De Courcy, Barrall, and Dowler
The next pictures are showing Liverpool Police and Liverpool City Police stamped whistles by De Courcy, Barrall and Dowler without supplier stamps, showing they made direct sales to the Liverpool Police force. Also pictured is a Walton stamped Liverpool Police whistle made for the Liverpool Police force.
Hudson, Dowler and Walton went both ways. It is possible that De Courcy did also as his beauforts are very similar to Hudson’s — where he previously worked as a foreman before leaving and setting up his own whistle business. Some supplier stamped whistles may in fact be misidentified in collections of his whistles with suppliers names.
- Liverpool Police – Hudson ( common )
- Liverpool Police – De Courcy
- Liverpool Police — Dowler
- Liverpool City Police – Walton
- Liverpool City police – Barrall
De Courcy left, Barrall middle ( not Liverpool ), Dowler right – non supplier stamped
Walton Liverpool City Police non supplier stamped
Walton Liverpool with supplier JJ Hartley
Distributer supplied, non police issue Mitchel Manchester
Uncredited Photo
Conclusions
As always, sometimes we can’t see the forest for the trees, so if we have overlooked anything from the readers perspective, please write in so we can research this study better and perhaps revise where needed.
The Liverpool Police force appears to have used whistles supplied by retailers as the preferred method of obtaining whistles. At the same time, they also ordered whistles direct from the manufacturers especially Hudson’s with Liverpool stamped whistles being quite common.
Five makers of whistles were involved, but Hudson seems to have supplied the lion’s share.
Was this done from the beginning? The Liverpool Police formed in 1880, but only Dowler could have supplied them at that time and very few Dowler made Liverpool whistles have been seen, especially compared to later makers such as the prolific Hudson examples known, which are circa 1890 or later. This contrasts with the whistle allowance starting as late as 1903.
The progression in a timeline appears to be as follows:
- Dowler – scarce
- Hudson – common
- DeCourcy – scarce
- Walton – rare
Rarely does any other supplier name appear stamped on Liverpool whistles other than Hudson whistles.
No other supplier stamped beauforts are known to be associated with any police forces in the UK.
TWG
November 3, 2022
Posted November 11, 2022
Bibliography:
https://www.liverpoolcitypolice.co.uk/
https://www.merseyside.police.uk/police-forces/merseyside-police/areas/au/about-us/our-history2/
https://british-police-history.uk/f/liverpool-city-officers
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_of_Liverpool
Collecting Police Whistles and Similar Types, by Topman and Gilchrist 1998
More Whistles, Gilchrist 2005
TWG, The Whistle Gallery Reference Collection
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14079478
https://www.vcoins.com/en/stores/marc_breitsprecher_classical_numismatist/8/product/england__shaw_brothers_cutlers_liverpool_brass_farthing_token/656172/Default.aspx
https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/1914_Who’s_Who_in_Business:_Company_T
https://sharprazorpalace.com/show-tell/113390-jg-dodd-liverpool-magbel-6-8-a.html
https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/1905-vampire-straight-razor-aird-152212111
https://books.google.com/books?id=AZcDAAAAMAAJ&pg=RA1-PA340&lpg=RA1-PA340&dq=R.B.+Potts+manufacturers+liverpool&source=bl&ots=lYy2VDMxIv&sig=ACfU3U3V_6AdnTJ7vk1XwMu3JkZ8JEBmkQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiSi9KIg5r6AhViN30KHZdRCtcQ6AF6BAgrEAM#v=onepage&q=R.B.%20Potts%20manufacturers%20liverpool&f=false
https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vtg-pocket-knife-schofield-liverpool-420689434
https://www.antique-swords.com/x21-ww1-liverpool-mercury-british-infantry-officers-with-liver-bird/
https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/threads/lancashire-pattern-tools.104688/
https://www.theinvisibleedge.co.uk/straight-razors/luxury-razors/ivory-seven-day-set-wg-whiting?category_rewrite=ivory-seven-day-set-wg-whitinghttp://www.villageofliverpool.org/police-history.html
© – All photos with blue background property of The Whistle Gallery reference collection. Please contact The Whistle Gallery for permission of use of any website content. Spotlight articles are copyrighted. Please contact The Whistle Gallery for permission of use of any website or Spotlight article material written or otherwise. Use of photos without authorization is prohibited.
