The history of the bosun’s whistle and its distinctive shrill ear piercing sound is recounted in an article in the Daily Telegraph by Graeme Lawson, a researcher into the history and archaeology of sound and of music. In it he focuses in particular on the four examples of bosun’s whistles found on the Mary Rose when the ship was excavated and conserved. He also indicated how the whistles with distinctive notes could serve as a means of on-board communication in the days of sail amidst the noise of the sea, of hoisting sails and other routine maritime tasks, as well, presumably, of armed combat. From some of his quotations it could also have been a source of off-duty recreation.
The article can be seen at The Mary Rose, the Royal Navy and the mystery of the silver whistles
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