Disclaimer This blog is about the graphic design of burglar alarms and has no connection with the companies featured. Most photos show vintage sounders and are not the latest products of the firms under discussion. For up-to-date info on any company, please visit their official website.
Burglar Alarm Britain
Where vigilante culture meets vernacular design
Category Archives: Bigwigs
Imperial Security, Bristol: Chinese
Posted by on May 15, 2013
“Imperial Security” burglar alarm, Bristol • Chinese house! • Spotted: The Arcade, Horsefair, Bristol, Avon, BS1, England, 2013 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bristol West
“HSS Alarms”, Tower Hamlets: yeoman
Posted by on October 13, 2012
“HSS Alarms” burglar alarm, Tower Hamlets • HSS used to be based in Harlow, so I reckon HSS stands for Harlow Security Systems. Aptly for a sounder located in Tower Hamlets, it pictures a Beefeater – aka a Yeoman of the Guard, which is apparently an incorrect term for Yeoman Warder, ie a geezer who ceremonially “guards” the Tower of London. That looks like a vicious weapon he’s carrying, but in fact it’s just a decorative staff. Tomorrow however, the theme is indeed weapons. • Spotted: Redchurch Street, Tower Hamlets, London, E2, England, 2007 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Bethnal Green and Bow
“MOD Alarms”, Sheffield: subculture
Posted by on September 20, 2012
“MOD Alarms” burglar alarm, Sheffield • Perhaps named to suggest the suitably militaristic Ministry of Defence, this sounder also recalls the 1960s Mod subculture, a bunch of youths noted for smart suits, flashy Italian motor scooters, and love of fighting greasy rockers on the beaches of southern England. So, not a pop group exactly, but represented by many 1960s bands such as the sharply-dressed Who and Small Faces – and, in 1980s revivalist form, The Jam. • Spotted: Alma Street, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S3, England, 2010 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Sheffield Central
Some mods. Who are also The Who.
“Amco”, Camden: military badge
Posted by on September 7, 2012
“Amco” burglar alarm, Camden • I suppose AMCO stands for Alarm Monitoring Co. But what of the Harry Potterish legend “Superna petamus”, which doesn’t, as the petals in the middle would suggest, mean “always flowering”? Well, the slightly different “Superna Petimus” means “We seek higher things”, and is the motto of RAF Cranwell, where RAF officers are trained. This spelling, I think, means “let us seek higher things”, and though AMCO’s logo doesn’t look like RAF Cranwell’s coat of arms, it does resemble a British military badge. So endeth a super-category started several weeks ago, namely militia. And now, as Monty Python famously said, for something completely different… • Spotted: Goodge Place, Camden, London, W1, England, 2010 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Holborn and St Pancras
“Ambassador”, Old Coulsdon: dog-head
Posted by on August 26, 2012
“Ambassador” burglar alarm, Old Coulsdon • More cockles, and a dog prancing on someone’s head. Loads of these heraldic alarm shields have helmets on top, and this is a bit like Hadleigh – maybe they all copied the same piece of clip art. They all look like logos for local government rather than burglar alarms, anyway – I could see this over the entrance arch of an LCC council estate. Heaven knows what LPC stands for here, or how it relates to an ambassador. • Spotted: Court Avenue, Old Coulsdon, Surrey, CR5, England, 2010 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of Croydon South
“Knightsbridge”, Merton: horsey bling
Posted by on July 8, 2012
“Knightsbridge Security Systems Ltd” burglar alarm, Merton • Giant chains, jewelled keys and a white horse (at least that’s what I think it is) on top: that’s one blingy portcullis Knightsbridge have in their possession, worthy of Harry Potter or Katie Price. Though like West London Security, the placing is slightly off – wealthy Wimbledon Village may very well be full of bespoke portcullises, but it’s a long way from Knightsbridge. Dodgy geography seems to be a feature of portcullis alarms. • Spotted: High Street, Wimbledon Village, Merton, London, SW19, England, 2006 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of Wimbledon
“Crusader Alarms”, Lambeth: night knight
Posted by on June 21, 2012
“Crusader Alarms Security System” burglar alarm, Lambeth • This has the same cheese grater shape as yesterday (see side view, below), but I’m guessing this is the older iteration, partly because it’s so rusty, and also because it’s so minimalist, which is classic 1970s. Looking at all three Crusaders in sequence, note the way our burglar-hating Islamophobe has gone from anonymous here to realistically imagined yesterday, to a little blob under the logo the day before yesterday – which is definitely the least impressive in knightly terms. And that’s enough knights for now – night night. • Spotted: Theed Street, Lambeth, London SE1, England, 2012 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Vauxhall
“Crusader Alarms”, Tower Hamlets: noble mein
Posted by on June 20, 2012
“Crusader Alarms” burglar alarm, Tower Hamlets • Again, I think we can assume that this fellow’s a knight . Security firms wouldn’t settle for any old hoi polloi on their sounders, and he’s wearing a crowny thing, plus looks of noble mein – a suave smirk and one eyebrow raised, like the James Bond (played by Roger Moore) of crusading. • Spotted: Toynbee Street, Tower Hamlets, London, E1, England, 2010 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Bethnal Green and Bow
“Crusader Security (UK) Ltd”, Greenwich: fancy shield
Posted by on June 19, 2012
“Crusader Security (UK) Ltd” burglar alarm, Greenwich • Crusaders are slightly at a tangent from knights, as not all crusaders were noble horsemen – the crusades were like a travelling township, with vast crowds of commoners and even women and children tagging along. However, lots of knights were crusaders, and as bloke’s got a fancy shield, I’ll assume he’s one of them. • Spotted: Woolwich Road, Greenwich, London, SE10, England, 2004 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Greenwich and Woolwich
“Knight Security”, Newquay: psychedelic crash
Posted by on June 18, 2012
“Knight Security” burglar alarm, Newquay • Unlike yesterday’s un-knightly seaside monogram, this one at least has a shield and some heraldic-looking “black letter” script. That’s an illustration of a psychedelic VW camper van bumping into it, by the way – an unlikely crash caused by its location on a surf shop fascia in the not-very-paradisical surfie hub of Newquay. • Spotted: Bank Street, Newquay, Cornwall, TR7, England, 2012 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of St. Austell and Newquay
“Knight Guard Security”, Brighton: un-knightly logo
Posted by on June 17, 2012
“Knight Guard Security” burglar alarm, Brighton • Boo, no picture of a knight on this one, or even a humble guard – just a rather decaying G thrust into the welcoming arms of a big fat K. A most un-knightly logo; and I’ve even got a version of this where they dropped the monogram completely. • Spotted: Gloucester Road, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1, England, 2010 • Politics: In the Green constituency of Brighton Pavilion
“Knighthood”, Tower Hamlets: tricky moves
Posted by on June 16, 2012
“Knighthood” burglar alarm, Tower Hamlets • Pictured twice and named thrice, this shows a knight in the chess sense, renowned for its tricky moves. Or maybe the owner of this company actually does have (or hanker after) a knighthood – not impossible, as Sir Jules Thorn would attest, were he still alive. • Spotted: Blackwall Tunnel North Approach, Tower Hamlets, London, E3, England, 2006 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Bethnal Green and Bow
“Knight Security Systems”, Southwark: patriotic jouster
Posted by on June 15, 2012
“Knight Security Systems” burglar alarm, Southwark • Yet another patriotically jousting horseman, this time with the exact same name as the vintage box featured here – so maybe it’s the same company. • Spotted: Belvedere Buildings, Southwark, London, SE1, England, 2010 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bermondsey and Old Southwark
“Anglian”, Lowestoft: fish-fingery fellow
Posted by on June 14, 2012
“Anglian” burglar alarm, Lowestoft • I used to fondly imagine this stencilled knight was some archaic reference to Anglia TV, left stranded high and dry in far-flung, fish finger-smelling Lowestoft. However the other day I drove past an office in equally fish-fingery Cornwall bearing this selfsame logo, so I now know it is a product of Anglian Homes, which isn’t quite as exciting. • Spotted: Town centre, Lowestoft, Suffolk, NR32, England, 2007 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of Waveney
“Blue Knight”, Bristol: hearty thrust
Posted by on June 13, 2012
“Blue Knight Security Systems Ltd” burglar alarm, Bristol • Knights are generally shown astride their defining factor, the warhorse – this galloping gallant appears to have speared a burglar’s heart on his lance. • Spotted: Prince Street, Bristol, Avon, BS1, England, 2012 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bristol West
“Knight Installations”, Dorking: thrusting sword
Posted by on June 12, 2012
“Knight Installations” burglar alarm, Dorking • This is brilliant – 1970s type framing a triumphal image of a knight in ceremonial armour, complete with plumed full-face visor, cloaked warhorse, St George’s Cross jerkin and massive thrusting sword. So very Dorking, and so much more effective than a guard dog. • Spotted: Town centre, Dorking, Surrey, RH4, England, 2008 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of Mole Valley
“Knight Security Systems”, Islington: noble pun
Posted by on June 11, 2012
“Knight Security Systems” burglar alarm, Islington • With their connotations of nobility, bravery and chivalry, and the happy pun on “night”, knights are one of the most popular burglar alarm themes. This old example is so huge (see side view, below) it could even have a few mounted warriors lurking within it. • Spotted: Camden Passage, Islington, London, N1, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Islington South and Finsbury
“Ambassador”, Tower Hamlets: final shield
Posted by on June 10, 2012
“Ambassador Security Group” burglar alarm, Tower Hamlets • A later Ambassador than yesterday’s, this bears their final simplified shield logo, as also seen fading away on the Secom-style box discussed in the comments here. Ambassadors always end up as knights, and the heraldic shield of course also refers to knights. Thus, uncoincidentally, the theme for tomorrow is “knighthood”. • Spotted: Coventry Road, Tower Hamlets, London, E2, England, 2007 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Bethnal Green and Bow
“Ambassador”, East Grinstead: fancy diplomacy
Posted by on June 9, 2012
“Ambassador” burglar alarm, East Grinstead • With this fancy logo, Ambassador, you are spoiling us. In real life, an ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation, and this fine heraldic logo matches up. Faded Ambassador sounders of many types bearing this shield still abound, although the company itself exists no longer, as the comments here diplomatically explain. • Spotted: Middle Row, East Grinstead, West Sussex, RH19, England, 2004 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of Sussex Mid
“Admiral Security Systems”, East Grinstead: admirable
Posted by on June 8, 2012
“Admiral Security Systems Ltd” burglar alarm, East Grinstead • This Admiral’s taken over another alarm – I’m guessing, from the style and colour of the box, that it’s an A1. Just a thought: if Admiral merged with Abel, they’d be Admirable. • Spotted: Middle Row, East Grinstead, West Sussex, RH19, England, 2004 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of Sussex Mid
“Admiral Security Systems”, East Grinstead: red flag
Posted by on June 7, 2012
“Admiral Security Systems Ltd” burglar alarm, East Grinstead • Perfectly placed on a half-timbered beam, another bigwig from East Grinstead, where I like to think plenty of real retired admirals reside. The rank of Admiral dates from 1297, and the simple logo belongs to a 1992-founded firm whose sounders I spot all over the place. The red-and-white scheme is appropriate, as an Admiral’s flag is the similarly-hued St George’s Cross. • Spotted: London Road, East Grinstead, West Sussex, RH19, England, 2004 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of Sussex Mid
“Senator Security”, Camden: enduring title
Posted by on June 6, 2012
“Senator Security” burglar alarm, Camden • Passing from ancient Rome to modern America, Senator is the most enduring political title of all time. Perhaps that’s why this burglar alarm is marked, unusually, with a rather fierce-looking cross – to indicate a vote of confidence. • Spotted: Verulam Street, Camden, London, WC1, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Holborn and St Pancras
“Premier Security Ltd”, Westminster: chillax
Posted by on June 5, 2012
“Premier Security Ltd” burglar alarm, City of Westminster • Phew, what a lot of different Premier burglar alarms there are. Finally, a whizzy silver one with faux futuristic lettering from the UK Prime Minister’s home turf of Westminster. A new breed of Conservative premier, perhaps – the pseudo-modern kind that likes to chillax and LOL. • Spotted: Newman Street, City of Westminster, London, W1, England, 2012 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of Cities of London and Westminster
“Premier Security Systems”, Camden: Old Labour
Posted by on June 4, 2012
“Premier Security Systems” burglar alarm, Camden • A stolid red shield from a left-wing constituency – surely an Old Labour premier. Not that there’s been one of those in a long time. • Spotted: New Oxford Street, Camden, London, WC1, England, 2012 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Holborn and St. Pancras
“Premier”, Cambridge: see-sawing blandness
Posted by on June 3, 2012
“Premier” burglar alarm, Cambridge • This featureless, diagonally-challenged Premier is from a Lib-Dem constituency, so in its see-sawing blandness we perhaps see a graphic representation of the Cleggster. There are loads of different Premier burglar alarm designs around, so whether this is the same company as yesterday I have no idea. • Spotted: Hills Road, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB2, England, 2010 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of South Cambridgeshire
“Premier”, East Grinstead: head of state
Posted by on June 2, 2012
“Premier” burglar alarm, East Grinstead • After sundry aristocrats and yesterday’s military dictator, our bigwigs are getting a bit more democratic. In many countries a premier is a head of state, and in some of those states – such as Britain – it’s interchangeable with the term Prime Minister. This handsome blue sounder comes from the deeply conservative town of East Grinstead (as quite a few of my bigwig alarms do), and could conceivably date back to the days of John Major, so I reckon it’s a Tory premier. • Spotted: High Street, East Grinstead, West Sussex, RH19, England, 2004 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of Sussex Mid
“Cromwell Security”, Camden: headless dictator
Posted by on June 1, 2012
“Cromwell Security” burglar alarm, Camden • As a UK bigwig, Cromwell was one of a republican kind, dispensing briefly with the monarchy and ruling as Lord Protector from 1653 until his death in 1658. Of course, royalty swiftly returned – rather successfully, as we are seeing this weekend – and, though he had died peacefully, three years later parliament had Cromwell dug up and beheaded. Since then the warty head led a colourful life of its own, being sold on from chancer to chancer, finally ending up buried in the grounds of Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, where Ollie had studied. All of which makes Cromwell a rather odd subject for a burglar alarm; but, despite being essentially a military dictator, he still ranks high in popularity polls of historical Britons. There’s even a steam train named after him! • Spotted: Millman Street, Camden, London, WC1, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Holborn and St Pancras
What Oliver Cromwell really looked like (painting by Samuel Cooper)
“Norman Security”, Lowestoft: fancy peerages
Posted by on May 31, 2012
“Norman Security Lowestoft” burglar alarm, Lowestoft • That’s enough aristocratic bigwigs for now. I blame it all on the Normans, who after 1066 took only a few years to replace the Anglo-Saxon landholders with rich French upstarts and a fancy system of peerages, paid for then just as now. Norman Security go back nearly as far: according to the local business site here, they are are “a sister company to Norman Electrical who have been trading since the 1950s” – though the lack of a dedicated web presence suggests both may now be defunct. • Spotted: Town centre, Lowestoft, Suffolk, NR32, England, 2007 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of Waveney
“Squire Alarms”, Nottingham: half-timbered
Posted by on May 30, 2012
“Squire Alarms” burglar alarm, Nottingham • How perfect is this? An alarm named after a medieval land-holder, sitting on a Tudorbethan clothes emporium for the larger man in the ancient crime hot-spot of Nottingham. And the unusual black-and-white alarm even matches the half-timbered shop (pictured below) – maybe they chose it specially. In the middle ages a squire was a trainee knight, one of whose duties was to hold prisoners, and later the term evolved to mean a local dignitary, often a justice of the peace. All appropriate burglar-alarm-related historical references for Squire Alarms, a substantial Leicester-based company founded in 1981. • Spotted: Upper Parliament Street, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG1, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Nottingham East
“Baron Security”, Islington: ball shortage
Posted by on May 29, 2012
“Baron Security” burglar alarm, Islington • Baron Security of Epping sounds like the kind of dodgy title an unsuspecting American would buy over the internet. Barons are entitled to be called “lord”, but it’s actually a rather lowly rank, being bottom of the five rungs of the peerage. And in this case even the coronet is dubious: it should have six silver balls around it, like the one pictured below – I reckon the Baron flogged them on Ebay. Of course, I jest. Baron is a surname as well as a title, so that’s more likely the origin of 1985-founded Baron Security‘s name. I still prefer to think of this firm as being owned by a rampaging, serf-baiting, coronet-pawning Essex aristocrat, though.• Spotted: Camden Passage, Islington, London, N1, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Islington South and Finsbury
A baron’s coronet, showing four of its regulation six balls
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