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: Vintage
“Maxpro”, Stroud: extravaganza
Posted by on February 11, 2013
“Maxpro Security Systems Alarm Stroud” burglar alarm, Stroud • Now we move from general business excellence to the self-proclaimed pros. In this case a superb 1970s disco extravaganza called Maxpro, which either stands for the maximum amount of professionalism possible, or some geezer called Max. • Spotted: Russell Street, Stroud, Gloucestershire, GL5, England, 2012 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of Stroud
“Sentinel”, Hereford: shattered
Posted by on October 12, 2012
“Sentinel” burglar alarm, Hereford • Same firm as yesterday, much older sounder. Presumably that bit of shattered electronics was a strobe once upon a time. The long-established firm is still around today in Hereford – you can see their current identity here, featuring the popular shield and silhouetted figure tropes.• Spotted: Town centre, Hereford, Herefordshire, HR1, England, 2008 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of Hereford and South Herefordshire
“Safe Guard”, Lambeth: syntax alert
Posted by on October 7, 2012
“Safe Guard” burglar alarm, Lambeth • Syntax alert: safely guarding, or guarding safes? Either way this golden oldster is guarding no more, I feel. Nice “futuristic” font, too – it’s Eurostile, often found decorating 1970s sci fi things. • Spotted: Clapham Road, Lambeth, London, SW9, England, 2005 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Vauxhall
“Sentry Alarms”, Rugby: old guard
Posted by on September 27, 2012
“Sentry Alarms” burglar alarm, Rugby • So, after a brief musical interlude, we’re back with the mega-militia theme, this time with sounders boasting guards and sentries. To kick things off in Rugby (ha ha), here’s one I’ve already shown small as part of the “decay” theme, but it’s ancient enough to be worth repeating close-up – I’m always a sucker for geographical phone codes. • Spotted: Gas Street, Rugby, Warwickshire, CV21, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of Rugby
“SOS Security Group”, Lambeth: 1970s disco
Posted by on September 25, 2012
“SOS Security Group” burglar alarm, Lambeth • Although I have a category called “1970s disco“, that’s for 1970s-looking typography. Whereas this old sounder shares a name with an actual 1970s disco group, The SOS Band – famed mainly for the classic “Just Be good to Me” (which is actually from the early 1980s). • Spotted: Lower Marsh, Lambeth, London, SE1, England, 2007 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Vauxhall
SOS Band. That’s an SOS for the hair police.
“Brocks Alarms”, Islington: non-faded
Posted by on September 1, 2012
“Brocks Alarms” burglar alarm, Islington • You don’t see too many of these old Brocks boxes with the lion and shield on; normally they are plain white with just the logo at the top. I never know whether that’s because they started like that, or the lion and shield faded off – I suspect the latter. A nice design anyway, and it heralds (geddit) the last shield, as the knightly arm-borne protection falls away leaving just a few heraldic-style animals. • Spotted: Albermarle Way, Islington, London, EC1, England, 2007 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Islington South and Finsbury
“CG Computa Guard”, Bolton: green and gritty
Posted by on August 21, 2012
“CG Computa Guard” burglar alarm, Bolton • Let me count the ways I love this. It suggests it’s guarded by a computer. It’s spelled groovily. It’s green, which is unusual. It’s square, and I like squares. It’s got a really basic monogram, and I like those too. It’s vintage. It’s from Bolton, which sounds all gritty and Northern. It was on an escarpment of grandly decaying windswept buildings, in true gritty Northern fashion. It’s rusty. And it’s got a shield on. A total winner. • Spotted: St Georges Road, Bolton, Lancashire, BL1, England, 2010 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Bolton North East
“Classic Alarms”, Islington: double dated
Posted by on August 18, 2012
“Classic Alarms” burglar alarm, Islington • Old enough to bear not one but two 01 numbers – double dated, if you will. • Spotted: Caledonian Road, Islington, London, N1, England, 2012 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Islington South and Finsbury
“Metro” burglar alarm, Hackney: big M
Posted by on August 6, 2012
“Metro” burglar alarm, Hackney • This looks like the last two alarms, but is actually for Metro, who also have alarms with a big “M” on. Heaven knows where the phone code refers to – Hornchurch in Essex perhaps? • Spotted: Hoxton Street, Hackney, London, N1, England, 2006 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Hackney South and Shoreditch
“Honeywell Shield”, Tower Hamlets: bee-like
Posted by on August 5, 2012
“Honeywell Shield Security System” burglar alarm, Tower Hamlets • This is obviously the same company as yesterday, but taken over by Honeywell, a charmingly rural bee-like name for what is actually a technological behemoth. I also see plain Honeywell alarms around, so I guess they dumped the Shield part at some point. • Spotted: Wentworth Street, Tower Hamlets, London, E1, England, 2010 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Bethnal Green and Bow
“Shield Security System”, Hackney: crumpled
Posted by on August 4, 2012
“Shield Security System” burglar alarm, Hackney • And still the crumpled old Shields keep on coming. This is a nice old vintage design, quite a few of which are still around. Maybe someone can tell me if this is the same company as the last two yellow Shields. • Spotted: Kingsland Road, Hackney, London, E2, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Hackney South and Shoreditch
“Shield Burglar Alarm”, Hackney: crumbly grilles
Posted by on August 3, 2012
“Shield Burglar Alarm” burglar alarm, Hackney • Very similar to yesterday’s but with grilles and a different phone number, again for the spotters out there. A spectacularly decaying number, as befits the crumbly Stoke Newington Road.• Spotted: Stoke Newington Road, Hackney, London, N16, England, 2012 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Hackney North and Stoke Newington
“Shield Burglar Alarm”, Camden: personal fortification
Posted by on August 2, 2012
“Shield Burglar Alarm” burglar alarm, Camden • So now I move from the fortification of buildings to the fortification of humans, with the huge burglar alarm category of shields. This sounder does (or rather, did) what it says on the can. There’s a side view below for the real “spotters” out there. • Spotted: Bleeding Heart Yard, Camden, London, EC1, England, 2012 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Holborn and St Pancras
“Rampart Security”, St Albans: un-illustrated
Posted by on July 27, 2012
“Rampart Security” burglar alarm, St Albans • Apart from Bastion, this is the only fortification alarm featured that doesn’t actually picture its defences. It’s pasted over a vintage Shorrock, unless I’m very much mistaken – although of a type I’ve not featured yet, I’m surprised to discover. (Update: as the comment below suggests, this is in fact a Securiplace alarm – similar box, colour and initials, hence my confusion.) • Spotted: Town centre, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL1, England, 2010 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of St Albans
“Krypto Security”, Westminster: turret-shaped
Posted by on July 17, 2012
“Krypto Security” burglar alarm, City of Westminster • And so we segue seamlessly from portcullises to fortifications in general – castles, fortresses, ramparts and so on. This looks like an old-style prison, which would be apt, but because I have seen other versions of Krypto’s logo (coming soon), I know it’s a castle. But what stands out here is the turret-shaped sounder – I wonder whether the logo was designed to fit it, or vice versa? I’ve never seen any other similarly-shaped sounders in the UK, though I have abroad. I’m not sad enough to snap burglar alarms on holiday, however – well, not often – so I don’t have pictorial proof. • Spotted: New Cavendish Street, City of Westminster, London, W1, England, 2012 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of Cities of London and Westminster
“Britannia”, Southwark: patriotic lion
Posted by on July 2, 2012
“Britannia” burglar alarm, Southwark • I end the Roman Britain theme as I began, with Britannia – I never tire of their swinging sixties-style logo, which wouldn’t look out of place in a Paul Smith boutique. This old box has a bulb on top, which thanks to the comment here I now know is considered somewhat insecure, as a passing ne’er-do-well could use it to lever the alarm off. • Spotted: Morocco Street, Southwark, London, SE1, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bermondsey and Old Southwark
“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
“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
“Instant Aid Protection”, Westminster: bold promise
Posted by on May 22, 2012
“Instant Aid Protection” burglar alarm, City of Westminster • This vintage Eurobell boldly promises instant aid, which is about as speedy as you can get. I’m not sure if the company was called “Instant Aid” or “Instant Aid Protection”, but either way it’s not exactly a catchy name, and the logo – if such it is – is pretty basic too. It was found in the dilapidated but once-grand shopping arcade at Victoria Station (hence the fancy moulding, below), which is now being redeveloped. • Spotted: Victoria Arcade, City of Westminster, London, SW1, England, 2004 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of Cities of London and Westminster
The alarm in its grungily grand setting at Victoria Station
“Swift Alarms Supplies”, Westminster: fast flier
Posted by on May 17, 2012
“Swift Alarms Supplies Limited” burglar alarm, City of Westminster • There are billions (approx) of security firms featuring birds, but this is only the second Swift I’ve found – the other one is here, and is called simply Swift. This looks like the same silhouette and font as on that one, so I reckon it’s an older incarnation of the same company which, judging by the 0892 code, was based in the Tunbridge Wells area. The selfsame bird can be found on the current website of Swift Alarms Group, and indeed it says they started life in Tunbbridge Wells in 1978 as Swift Alarms Supplies Limited, so my guess was right. I should have just gone to their website first… • Spotted: Newman Passage, City of Westminster, London, W1, England, 2012 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of Cities of London and Westminster
“CalQuick”, Southwark: grungy nut
Posted by on May 13, 2012
“CalQuick Security Systems” burglar alarm, Southwark • Found in a crumbly Peckham arcade, this grungy old sounder features a splendid technical drawing-style monogram which resembles a wrench turning a nut. Unlike yesterday’s firm, they managed to spell the word “Quick” right – then lost the plot with “Call”.• Spotted: Station Way, Southwark, London, SE15, England, 2010 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Camberwell and Peckham
“Sprint”, Camden: city speeding
Posted by on May 11, 2012
“Sprint Security Systems” burglar alarm, Camden • If your burglar alarm goes off you need help fast, so it’s not surprising that swiftness is a popular security theme. This superb vintage Sprint, which undoubtedly rang rather than beeping like a reversing lorry on steroids, is very similar to the Arlescourt sounder here. It’s ideally placed above a matching shop selling some vintage sprinters of a different type, namely Italian scooters (see below). And even the logo looks like it’s speeding. • Spotted: Clerkenwell Road, Camden, London, EC1, England, 2012 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Holborn and St Pancras
A vintage Sprint alarm above some classic sprinters
“SP”, East Grinstead: caring mitts
Posted by on May 9, 2012
“SP” burglar alarm, East Grinstead • Poignantly faded in true seaside style, this shows a pair of sensitively-painted disembodied hands, in the manner of a Latin American devotional retablo, cupping the anonymous initials “SP” between them. It’s an old alarm, and a minimal name to search on: there are quite a few SP security firms on various business directories, but I can’t find one from southern England, so presumably these caring hands are defunct. • Spotted: London Road, East Grinstead, West Sussex, RH19, England, 2004 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of Sussex Mid
“Arlescourt Security”, Camden: hand of glory
Posted by on May 1, 2012
“Arlescourt Security” burglar alarm, Camden • Severed hands are a popular image on burglar alarms, and quite apart from reminding thieves what appendage they might lose under sharia law, it’s an ancient symbol with many connotations. The heraldic hand on this fine vintage sounder is grimly gripping a key in the manner of the Lady of the Lake brandishing Excalibur from her watery depths. It recalls the folkloric “Hand of Glory” – the dried and pickled mitt of a hanged felon, believed in medieval Europe to have the power to unlock any door it came across. There are grisly if contested examples in Whitby and Walsall museums, and a couple of mentions in Harry Potter. It’s all most appropriate for a firm whose name sounds like something straight out of Camelot. • Spotted: New Oxford Street, Camden, London, WC1, England, 2012 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Holborn and St Pancras
Hands of Glory: left, a medieval version, and right, Whitby Museum's example
“Property Guard”, Westminster: wonky sentry
Posted by on April 30, 2012
“Property Guard” burglar alarm, City of Westminster • This wonky sentry was found next to a dingy net-curtained window in the red light area of Soho, so I won’t speculate what kind of property his red bulb was was guarding. The sounder looks absolutely ancient, and I have no idea if the company still exists; there’s another Property Guard in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, but I doubt it’s the same firm. After a grand total of six, that’s the last “baton” alarm I’ve found – definitely not a popular shape compared to the roughly contemporaneous Eurobell, and I still don’t know what the style is really called. • Spotted: Peter Street, City of Westminster, London, W1, England, 2012 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of Cities of London and Westminster
“Xtal”, Wandsworth: deprecated electronica
Posted by on April 29, 2012
“Xtal” burglar alarm, Wandsworth • XTAL – what a brilliant sci-fi-sounding acronym, albeit unexplained. London’s 01 area code only lasted until 1990, so unless Xtal’s proprietor was deeply into avant-garde 1980s electronica, it’s unlikely the firm’s name was inspired by the eponymous track on Aphex Twin’s 1992 debut album Selected Ambient Works 85–92. It’s more likely both names refer to a different genre of electronica, namely a type of crystal oscillator sometimes notated as XTAL on electrical schematic diagrams. The term is now as deprecated is this ancient “baton” sounder’s phone number, and I fear the once Wimbledon-based firm may be redundant too, for despite there being plenty of recent-looking Xtal sounders lurking around London, their website is nowhere to be found. • Spotted: Battersea Park Road, Wandsworth, London, SW11, England, 2002 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of Battersea
“Glo Bell”, Westminster: self-referential
Posted by on April 28, 2012
“Glo Bell” burglar alarm, City of Westminster • Sporting Edward Benguiat and Victor Caruso’s ever-popular Bauhaus font from 1975, this is the only red “baton” sounder I’ve ever found. I’ve seen quite a few newer-style Glo Bell alarms around London, and though I can’t find a website for them, the firm is apparently still active – good news, as I always like self-referential bell boxes featuring bells. • Spotted: Berwick Street, City of Westminster, London, W1, England, 2012 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of Cities of London and Westminster
“Jaguar Alarms London”, Wandsworth: holey cat
Posted by on April 27, 2012
“Jaguar Alarms London” burglar alarm, Wandsworth • Presumably this minimalist and somewhat holed Jaguar is a vintage remnant of the Acton-based Jaguar Alarm Company featured here – a company later acquired by Ambush, as discussed in these comments. This so-called (by me) “baton” sounder is unusual for having a blue bulb, and the logo printed directly on to it – all the others I’ve found have red bulbs and labels. Riveting! • Spotted: Battersea High Street, Wandsworth, London, SE11, England, 2012 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of Battersea
“Anglia Property Guards”, Norwich: not Alan Partridge
Posted by on April 26, 2012
“Anglia Property Guards” burglar alarm, Norwich • Strictly speaking this monogram reads AGP, rather than APG, although the G is pretty indecipherable. It’s just as well they spelled the whole name out, or I might have thought it was a reference to Norwich’s finest export, Alan Partridge, aha. It’s such a vintage alarm I wasn’t expecting the firm to exist any more, but they’re still going strong – you can see their current sounder and more legible logo here. Coincidentally they’re based in a place called Banham, which is of course the name of another long-lived burglar alarm firm. • Spotted: Town centre, Norwich, Norfolk, NR1, England, 2007 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Norwich South
Recent comments