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: Ex-alarm
Romec, Oxford: big R
Posted by on April 12, 2013
“Romec” burglar alarm, Oxford • Romec, like Malgor, sounds like the capital city of a minor Balkan nation. It’s got a nice big R though. (If there were two of them, it would be big Rs…) • Spotted: Cornmarket, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX1, England, 2012 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Oxford East
Ghost under “Southwest Security”, Bristol: fusillade
Posted by on November 13, 2012
Ghost under “Southwest Security (Bristol)” burglar alarm, Bristol • Finally, a quiet ghost amidst a veritable fusillade of screw-holes. Tomorrow: global alarms. • Spotted: Baldwin Street, Bristol, Avon, BS1, England, 2012 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bristol West
Ghost under “MJA”, Glasgow: tell-tale
Posted by on November 12, 2012
Ghost under “MJA Security Systems” burglar alarm, Glasgow • A handsome black marble wall with a tell-tale shiny spot where an earlier sounder resided – and the newspapers advertised are probably on their way out, too. Looks like the MJA sounder was chosen to match the overall colour scheme. • Spotted: Merchant City area, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, G1, Scotland, 2010 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Glasgow Central
Ghost under “Pizza Express”, Camden: bald spot
Posted by on November 11, 2012
Ghost under “Pizza Express” burglar alarm, Camden • Another panoramic repeat of a sounder already shown closer up – I just like the clash of posh decor with bald ex-alarm spot. • Spotted: Parkway, Camden, London, NW1, England, 2010 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Holborn and St Pancras
Ghost under “ASG Vision”, Bristol: anagrams
Posted by on November 10, 2012
Ghost under “ASG Vision (on OS Resolution)” burglar alarm, Bristol • Triple acronym whammy: ADG on OSR on something that was a flat-ended oval. Maybe one of these also-Bristolian APS jobbies? In which case the total initials are ADGOSRAPS, whose anagrams include Rap Ass Dog, Spar as God and Drag Soaps. Wow, deep. • Spotted: Broad Street, Bristol, Avon, BS1, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bristol West
Ghost under “Krypto Security”, Westminster: enormo
Posted by on November 9, 2012
Ghost under “Krypto Security” burglar alarm, City of Westminster • This boxy enormo-ghost suggests it may have been a vintage sounder preceding the Krypto. Maybe even another Krypto, they were a long-running firm. • Spotted: Mortimer Street, City of Westminster, London, W1, England, 2001 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of Cities of London and Westminster
Ghost under “A1 Security”, Norwich: lurking
Posted by on November 8, 2012
Ghost under “A1 Security Protecting the Community Norwich” burglar alarm, Norwich • Another one I’ve shown before, but not obvious in that post was the ghostly wire-sharing hexagon lurking behind it. No prizes for guessing the ex-make. • Spotted: Town centre, Norwich, Norfolk, NR1, England, 2007 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Norwich South
Ghost under “Arrest”, Glasgow: fair cop
Posted by on November 7, 2012
Ghost under “Arrest Security Systems” burglar alarm, Glasgow • Fair cop – ghost arrested. There’s another one here . • Spotted: Merchant City area, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, G1, Scotland, 2010 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Glasgow Central
Ghost under “PTS”, Camden: overlaid
Posted by on November 6, 2012
Ghost under “PTS” burglar alarm, Camden • Rectangular ghost on giant bricks symmetrically overlaid by glow-in-the-dark delta – enough said. • Spotted: Bedford Square, Camden, London, WC1, England, 2010 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Holborn and St Pancras
Ghost under “Arrow”, Chelsea: neat niche
Posted by on November 5, 2012
Ghost under “Arrow Security” burglar alarm, Kensington and Chelsea • I know I’ve already shown this Arrow, but in that post you couldn’t clearly see it was snuggling into the neat niche burrowed by a shield-shaped Banham (or one of their sub-brands). • Spotted: Beauchamp Place, Kensington and Chelsea, London, SW3, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of Kensington
Ghost under “3 Star Alarms”, Westminster: tank top
Posted by on November 4, 2012
Ghost under “3 Star Alarms” burglar alarm, City of Westminster • This anonymous delta ghost could have been anything, so I won’t even hazard a guess as to its brand. But 3 Star’s logo also conjures up distant days: in the 1970s, my brother had a tank top with exactly the same design on. • Spotted: Eastcastle Street, City of Westminster, London, W1, England, 2012 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of Cities of London and Westminster
Ghost under “3D”, Lambeth: usurped
Posted by on November 3, 2012
Ghost under “3D Security Systems” burglar alarm, Lambeth • This faint ghost-shadow is pentagonal, which means it’s either an occult symbol, or the final traces of a Shorrock. As for the usurping brand 3D, its initials are clearly meant to suggest three dimensions, but also have the less marketing-friendly meaning of “third”. • Spotted: Lower Marsh, Lambeth, London, SE1, England, 2007 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Vauxhall
Ghost under “GC”, Chelsea: comeuppance
Posted by on November 2, 2012
Ghost under “GC Fire & Security” burglar alarm, Kensington and Chelsea • And now mighty Chubb gets its comeuppance, with just two measly corners peeking out from beneath a somewhat less venerable brand (albeit one boasting soundwaves – always a good point). • Spotted: Beauchamp Place, Kensington and Chelsea, London, SW3, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of Kensington
Ghost under “Chubb”, Camden: supplanted
Posted by on November 1, 2012
Ghost under “Chubb” burglar alarm, Camden • Away with you, six-sided ADT (or possibly Modern). You have been supplanted by the mighty three-cornered Chubb. • Spotted: Kilburn High Road, Camden, London, NW6, England, 2007 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Hampstead and Kilburn
Ghost under “ADT”, Tower Hamlets: last gasp
Posted by on October 31, 2012
Ghost under “ADT” burglar alarm, Tower Hamlets • Now onto ghost alarms that have been cruelly obliterated by newer models. I reckon this round-cornered square can only be the last gasp of a tupperware box-shaped Securicor Granley (or one of its spin-offs). At least it got replaced with a sounder that matches. • Spotted: Coventry Road, Tower Hamlets, London, E2, England, 2007 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Bethnal Green and Bow
Painted ghost alarm, Bath: decorators required
Posted by on October 30, 2012
Ghost burglar alarm (painted), Bath • Impossible to guess what firm’s logo this standard delta-shaped sounder could have borne, but one thing’s for sure – it’s time to call in the decorators. • Spotted: Manvers Street, Bath, Avon, BA1, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bath
Brick ghost alarm, Camden: clean patch
Posted by on October 29, 2012
Ghost burglar alarm (brick), Camden • While not as rare as yesterday’s pentagon, the sharp-cornered hexagon is still a giveaway shape, most likely to have once been beneath an ADT sounder or, if older, a Modern Alarm (not that I’ve featured any hexagonal examples of those yet). This box must have been there quite some time to leave such a clean patch, so maybe it was indeed a Modern. • Spotted: Gayton Road, Camden, London, NW3, England, 2012 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Hampstead and Kilburn
Grubby ghost alarm, St Albans: wiry tongue
Posted by on October 28, 2012
Ghost burglar alarm (dirty), St Albans • The pentagon is a really rare sounder shape, so even I can narrow this grubby example down to a handful of firms: Shorrock, Initial, Initial Shorrock, or Chubb. One of which is poking out a wiry tongue. • Spotted: Town centre, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL1, England, 2010 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of St Albans
Mosaic ghost alarm, Lowestoft: swimming pool
Posted by on October 27, 2012
Ghost burglar alarm (mosaic), Lowestoft • Almost looks like a mini-swimming pool, though there’s no chance of guessing what sounder was once in it. And there’s a skeleton below it, which I also featured here. • Spotted: Town centre, Lowestoft, Suffolk, NR32, England, 2007 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of Waveney
Bank ghost alarms, Camden: redundant duo
Posted by on October 26, 2012
Ghost burglar alarms (bank), Camden • These ex-sounders are on a Lloyds TSB, but banks haven’t got any money so I guess they don’t need alarms any more – and they used to have two of them! Unless one of them was some other form of electronic box. • Spotted: Kilburn High Road, Camden, London, NW6, England, 2007 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Hampstead and Kilburn
Eyed ghost alarm, Camden: screwy peepers
Posted by on October 25, 2012
Ghost burglar alarm (eyed), Camden • Nearly a year ago I featured some ex-burglar alarms, which as I explained at the time, come in two forms: ghosts, where they’ve been fully removed, leaving just a mark on the wall; and skeletons, where some casing remains. Then I focused on skeletons, so now I’m posting some ghosts. Some are more recognisable than others, as the only clue to their brand is the shape and a few screw-holes, which here look like eyes. The sounder was clearly round one, so a Thorn or an AFA Minerva perhaps. • Spotted: Finchley Road, Camden, London, NW3, England, 2007 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Hampstead and Kilburn
“Slade Protection”, Westminster: glam rock
Posted by on September 23, 2012
“Slade Protection” burglar alarm, City of Westminster • Slade! The mighty Slade! Every one of whom would make a thoroughly convincing glam rock burglar alarm engineer, with Noddy Holder as the affable Victorian-style gaffer. And their sounders would play “Cum on Feel the Noize“. • Spotted: Great Portland Street, City of Westminster, London, W1, England, 2012 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of Cities of London and Westminster
The mighty Slade
Ex-alarm, Southwark: rusty remnant
Posted by on December 12, 2011
Ex-burglar alarm, Southwark • Good news: this rusty old bell box remnant is the last “skeleton alarm” for now. The age and long, narrow shape suggest to me it may have been a Brocks, of which there are others in the area. Or perhaps it was a fire alarm? I await expert advice. • Spotted: Price’s Street, Southwark, London, SE1, England, 2010 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bermondsey and Old Southwark
Ex-alarm, City of London: electrical innards
Posted by on December 11, 2011
Ex-burglar alarm, City of London • There’s not much surrounding context for this grey plastic ruin, but it retains its electrical innards, which may help someone identify it (assuming it actually was a burglar alarm, that is). • Spotted: Long Lane, City of London, London, EC1, England, 2006 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of Cities of London and Westminster
Ex-alarm, Lowestoft: fish fingery
Posted by on December 10, 2011
Ex-burglar alarm, Lowestoft • This run-down shopfront in isolated Lowestoft doubles as an alarm graveyard, with two mosaic-filled ghosts flanking a cream plastic skeleton. There are no clues to the latter’s identity, its only text being an impressed arrow and the word “up”. Lowestoft fact: Birds Eye fish fingers are made there, in a factory which casts its fish fingery smell over the whole town. • Spotted: Town centre, Lowestoft, Suffolk, NR32, England, 2007 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of Waveney
Ex-alarm, Hackney: robot skull
Posted by on December 9, 2011
Ex-burglar alarm, Hackney • This ivory plastic skeleton suggests a robotic skull, and offers slightly more clues than yesterday’s anonymous backplate. Peer closely and there’s a maker’s mark impressed top left, which reads “Designed and manufactured in England by Texecom registered design no 2036725″ (I think). An easy clue for any experts out there! • Spotted: Clifton Street, Hackney, London, EC2, England, 2008 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Hackney South and Shoreditch
Ex-alarm, Southwark: skeletons and ghosts
Posted by on December 8, 2011
Ex-burglar alarm, Southwark • Ex-burglar alarms come in two forms: ghosts, where they’ve gone completely, leaving just a patch on the wall; and skeletons, where some of the casing remains. For the next five days I’m going to focus on the latter – and maybe some of the experts out there will be able to discern what model they were when intact (not that it will mean much to me). First up, a very anonymous metal backing plate from an office building in Southwark, with no identifying features other than random holes. • Spotted: King’s Bench Street, Southwark, London, SE1, England, 2010 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bermondsey and Old Southwark
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