Big Trill Adventurer's Metal whistle » The Memory Box Project

Description:

The whistle illustrated is marketed for children aged three and over. It is made of metal and has a ‘pea’ inside, which vibrates adding the trill to the whistling sound. It is supplied with a lanyard from which the whistle can be hung around the neck.

Whistles are inexpensive and this model is widely available at under £4 and has been described as a pocket money toy. However, one retailer states that ‘ This item is not a toy and should only be used under adult supervision’. This is presumably due to the loudness of the whistle, which has been described as an ear drum piercing trill. This means it can be used to draw attention to an emergency situation, as well as being used in games.

One retailer describes a whistle game, a sort of hide and seek, in which supervisors hide and blow whistles to assist the hunters to find their positions.

There are two other items in this range – a compass and a pair of binoculars. The boxes of all the products encourage the child to become adventurers.

Key theme(s):

Childhood

More information:

Date	2010s
Material(s)	Metal
Item number	MBPO81

Questions to help you remember using this item

Have you ever owned or used a whistle? If so, was this as a child?
What have you used a whistle for?
Was your whistle this shape or tubular, like the traditional policeman’s whistle?
Do you prefer a whistle that trills or one with a pure whistle sound?
Can you whistle and, if so, how do make the whistling sound?

User Stories

Whistles of the type were first produced in 1884 by Joseph Hudson and Co. That whistle was the ‘Acme Thunderer’, arguably the most famous whistle in the world and still in production with eight different models. One was used by the referee at the 1966 World Cup Final.