Acme Whistle Company Tour with Simon Topman
Overview
This is a very special tour of a very unusual place with an extraordinarily entertaining man, Simon Topman MBE who is also is the world's greatest living authority on whistles! This tour was really well received when we last got a date (the tours are limited, so don’t miss the experience!)
Charity: The money Acme Whistles charge for the tour is donated to charity.
ACME Whistles: Way back in the 1860s, Joseph Hudson, toolmaker, converted his humble washroom at St. Mark’s Square into a workshop. Here he did anything he could to supplement the family income from watch repairing to cobbling shoes.
Today Acme whistles are recognized as some of the finest whistles manufactured in the world today. The tour includes 130 years of whistle making, including stories about the building, Bomb damage from 1940, Victorian Machinery, Titanic whistles, Bird calls, the lion Roar, Ancient & Modern Advertising and the Acme Meteor which is the worlds first flying Whistle.
Simon Topman MBE: An extraordinarily entertaining man, Simon Topman is the world's greatest living authority on whistles. Author of the standard work, "Collecting Police Whistles and Similar Types". C.E.O. of the world famous Acme Whistle Company, founded in 1870 and manufacturer of 500 million whistles, sound effects, bird calls, animal sounds and harkers, to date (demonstrations of various whistles are of course part of any visit with him!).
Expect a host of stories, amusing and serious, from the world of whistles including the Lion Roarer for jungle warfare, the football referee's Thunderer, and how his factory made both the original whistles for the Titanic and also for the blockbuster movie. With humour and a great sense of storytelling he illustrates the business and social changes that have and are taking place over some 130 years of sound production.
Simon Topman was awarded an MBE in recognition of his involvement with a range of public and private sector organisations. He has been President of the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce; Director of The Birmingham Repertory Theatre; Chairman of Aston Pride and many other prestigious appointments. He is also a very sought after public speaker.
Includes
Tour, Talk and Tea / coffee & cake. The money goes to charity
Directions: ACME Whistles is on Barr Street which is off New John Street in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter/ Gun Quarter. You can find it between Boulton Circus and Hockley Hill on the map. The Jewellery Quarter Railway Station is approx. 10 minutes walk away. Note: Access is from the New John Street end of Barr Street only and not from the City end.
Host & Everything Else
The tour was excellent value for money. Simon was thoroughly entertaining and very welcoming; the Spice description was spot on.
Really enjoyed my Whistle Tour, Simon is extremely entertaining, who’d have thought a small business like that would still be going well after 150yrs and exporting all over the world! I would advise that if you repeat this event you emphasis that if you drive, allow plenty of time to find a parking space, would highly recommend this event.
What a wonderful talk and tour from Simon Topman. I have been the proud owner of an Acme Thunderer whistle for almost 40 years so I knew I would love this event! Great to see where and how my whistle was crafted.
The history of the company was fascinating and how heartwarming to see such a successful UK company exporting all over the world after nearly 150 years in business. Thank you to Jainn-Ann for being a great coordinator and it was lovely to see Maggie who brought along a very special whistle to show everyone.
Excellent visit - one of the best I have ever done in Spice, and this was my second time!!
The process was fascinating; a real bit of Birmingham’s industrial heritage. Simon was/is not only very knowledgeable but is a very entertaining speaker.
All staff were very welcoming: nice tea/coffee & biscuits/cakes at start of visit - and drinks in real Wedgwood bone China!!
Value for money? Definitely. Not expensive for over two hours and all to a worthwhile charity - o local special school.
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