R A Walton
R A Walton ( Richard Arthur Walton ), was a Birmingham, England whistle maker who made whistles from 1882 to 1904.
History
Walton started working for J Hudson & Co at 1882 when the factory was located still at 17 Mark St. address and before their great successes winning the contract to supply the metropolitan police with whistles, which was a turning point.
After Alfred De Courcy left Hudson at 1888 Walton rose to be foreman at Hudson. It was only at 1898 that he left to form his own "Universal Whistle Works" at 14 Hunter Road ,Hockley, Birm. At 1904 J Hudson & Co bought his tools patents and STOCK & body stamps and kept making whistles similar to his with Walton stamps. A sharp eye can detect the difference between a Hudson made one and a Walton. Usually it is considered that all whistles stamped Patent no 10492 are genuine Walton made.
Models and types
The Walton Catalogue of 1901 shows few whistle types as well as dozens of models many of which have not been seen to this day. Cylindrical General service whistles some with finger loop, Compostion-type whistles, Round whistles (none identified to date), Escargot-type, Glasgow style and London style, multi tube whistles and more.
Walton was fond of making GSWs with "Bubble top" at times referred to as "Spherical top Knop".
Body stamps
On Escargots, Walton had 3 named models; (The 3 Rs) The Rattler, The Rouser and The Roller and all very rare. The Roller as mentioned in M. Gilchrist's book More Whistles(2005) had not been found. It was only at 2008 that one was found and it was revealed That Walton was probably the first maker to include a side compass with an Escargot type whistle. The whistle is a "lite" version of the Glasgow style Escargot.
John Piggeott Cheapside London League whistle, patent No 10492 at 1900 , or prior to that League whistle John Piggott Ltd. Cheapside London, The Universal Patent No 10492 and other variations including Provisinal protection No 10492 whistle applying for the patent.
City Police and The Universal were his most popular stamps but even these are hard to come by.
Distributor stamps include: Massey Shuderhill Manchester, Hiatt & Co; Masshouse Lane Birmingham; and J J Harley Ld. Liverpool.
Walton also supplied the army and dated 1900 to 1903 are to be found some with arrow mark above year.