Whistle firm discovers Titanic link after boss watches 1997 film

A manufacturing firm discovered it supplied whistles to the Titanic after its boss watched the 1997 film with his children.

Simon Topman, managing director of ACME Whistles in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter, made the connection during the famous scene in which Kate Winslet’s character Rose blows a whistle to attract rescuers.

“I missed the rest of the film, rushed back to the factory, and there, inside an ancient, oil-stained ledger, was a complete record of everything we had supplied since 1870,” Topman said.

“Sure enough, we had supplied 30 whistles to the White Star Line for use on the Titanic in 1912.”

The revelation is being highlighted as the world marks 114 years since the ship sank on 15 April 1912.

Whistles played a vital role aboard the Titanic.

Simon Topman discovered proof of the Titanic connection inside an old ledger at ACME Whistles’ factory

They were used by officers to signal commands, co-ordinate lifeboats and maintain order during the evacuation.

According to ACME, whistles were also used as props in the film, though the company did not realise its own products were appearing on screen.

Founded in 1870, ACME moved into its Barr Street premises in 1909 and remains in the same building today.

ACME Whistles made 50 replicas of the Titanic whistles using the original tools and machinery

Workers there still use original fly presses, dies and hand-finishing techniques passed down through generations.

Ben McFarlane, head of sales and marketing, added: “We’re still in the same building as when the original whistles supplied for the Titanic were made and we’re still using some of the same machinery.

“[That] is something quite special for Birmingham and its heritage as the City of a Thousand Trades.”