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Burglar Alarm Britain
Where vigilante culture meets vernacular design
Category Archives: 2004
Malgor Security, Camden: big M
Posted by on April 8, 2013
“Malgor Security” burglar alarm, Camden • In the absence of a big L sounder, we jump straight to M. It’s a nice logo, but what on earth does Malgor mean? It sounds like a place from Lord of the Rings. • Spotted: Covent Garden area, Camden, London, WC2, England, 2004 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Holborn and St Pancras
Clarion, Camden: shrill
Posted by on March 19, 2013
“Clarion” burglar alarm, Camden • A clarion is a medieval brass trumpet, shrill in sound and popular with cavalries. Hence the term clarion call, and its suitability for a burglar alarm. I like the Chanel-style double C logo too; there seem to be quite a lot of double initials in these sound-based alarms. Maybe the kind of person who chooses musical names also responds to melodious alliterative repetitions (hey, deep). • Spotted: Covent Garden area, Camden, London, WC2, England, 2004 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Holborn and St Pancras
“Optima”, Herne Bay: fontastic
Posted by on March 3, 2013
“Optima Alarms” burglar alarm, Herne Bay • Presumably this is meant to suggest more Latin, ie optimus, from which we derive optimal or optimum – all words for best. Optima however is a typeface, though not the one used on this sounder. • Spotted: High Street, Herne Bay, Kent, CT6, England, 2004 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of Thanet North
“WOT Security Group”, East Grinstead: swooping
Posted by on January 31, 2013
“WOT Security Group” burglar alarm, East Grinstead • Possibly stands for Walton-on-Thames, where I seem to remember spotting their office ages ago. I reckon that’s a world globe swooping in to make an “O”, though it also looks a bit like a moon. • Spotted: High Street, East Grinstead, West Sussex, RH19, England, 2004 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of Sussex Mid
“Lingfield Alarm Supplies”, East Grinstead: local
Posted by on January 28, 2013
“Lingfield Alarm Supplies Co Ltd” burglar alarm, East Grinstead • An attractive building-block monogram for what sounds like a small local company, yet I also found an ancient LAS sounder in Bath once – which is rather a long way from Lingfield on the sleepy Surrey border. Maybe it’s one of those DIY jobbies. • Spotted: London Road, East Grinstead, West Sussex, RH19, England, 2004 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of Sussex Mid
“So Secure”, Greenwich: handbag-worthy
Posted by on December 30, 2012
“So Secure” burglar alarm, Greenwich • I love this beautiful double S monogram, which is so sophisticatedly retro in its black-and-olive curvyness that it wouldn’t look out of place on an Orla Kiely handbag. (That’s a compliment, chaps.) However, perhaps not the most legible – it wasn’t till I found a version with the website on that I realised the green circle meant it said “SoSecure”. Until then I’d always read it as “SSecure”, putting it in the rather large “SS” logo category (in the Security Services, rather than Nazi sense). Whereas in fact it kind of says SOS. Very clever. • Spotted: Herbert Road, Greenwich, London, SE18, England, 2004 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Greenwich and Woolwich
“Sabre Security Services”, Herne Bay: slashed
Posted by on October 17, 2012
“Sabre Security Services” burglar alarm, Herne Bay • Ah, sabres – a big favourite in the Napoleonic wars, and indeed all post-medieval wars, until made obsolete by rifles (against which a sabre was pretty suicidal). The eponymous firm, meanwhile, was based in Whitstable, Kent – but I can’t find a current website for them, so maybe they got slashed. • Spotted: Mortimer Street, Herne Bay, Kent, CT6, England, 2004 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of Thanet North
“Guard Security Systems”, Camden: vicious
Posted by on October 2, 2012
“Guard Security Systems” burglar alarm, Camden • That’s enough Foot Guards – here’s an altogether more violent fellow, who I think may be meant to be a Norman soldier. In fact, he’s the most vicious sounder figure I’ve found since this stabby Centurion in Sheffield. • Spotted: Hatton Garden, Camden, London, EC1, England, 2004 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Holborn and St Pancras
“C & C Security Systems”, Greenwich: sweaty
Posted by on September 18, 2012
“C & C Security Systems” burglar alarm, Greenwich • Another cheesy but classic disco group: C+C Music Factory, famed for the much-sampled 1990 house hit “Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)”. The sounder even uses a plus sign instead of an ampersand, just like the group. • Spotted: Woolwich Road, Greenwich, London, SE7, England, 2004 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Greenwich and Woolwich
C&C, the music factory version
“Absolute Security”, East Grinstead: bricky battlements
Posted by on July 29, 2012
“Absolute Security (Surrey)” burglar alarm, East Grinstead • Is it just my imagination, or are there a disproportionately high number of militia-related alarms in the deep Surrey “stockbroker belt” (quaint term in these days of rapacious bankers) of Dorking and East Grinstead? Whatever, this faded sounder showing two bricky little battlements was old when I photographed it in 2004, so I reckoned the company wouldn’t be around any more. But an internet search throws up an Absolute Security in Surrey of 20 years standing, so despite a distinct lack of fortifications on their website, I reckon it’s the same firm. • Spotted: Middle Row, East Grinstead, West Sussex, RH19, England, 2004 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of Sussex Mid
“DLS”, East Grinstead: blackened fangs
Posted by on July 10, 2012
“DLS” burglar alarm, East Grinstead • A classic “awkward diagonal logo” and a miniscule portcullis with blackened fangs (or tiny bunting). There are a few comments about DLS here: it seems they were a well-regarded. long-running firm who simply disappeared. This is certainly the only sounder of theirs I’ve come across, and that was way back in 2004, in the open-air burglar alarm museum that is East Grinstead. • Spotted: London Road, East Grinstead, West Sussex, RH19, England, 2004 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of Sussex Mid
“Sussex Alarms”, Brighton: superior helmet
Posted by on June 29, 2012
“Sussex Alarms” burglar alarm, Brighton • Not, as it may appear, Darth Vader, but a Roman soldier in his finely-crafted helmet.Sussex was positively crawling with Romans in olden days, their metal headgear being vastly superior to the barbarians’ leather contraptions. Not that I am suggesting Sussex is full of barbarians. • Spotted: Old Steine, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1, England, 2004 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of Brighton Kemptown
“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
“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
“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
“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
“Security Express”, Camden: slanty-edged
Posted by on May 20, 2012
“Security Express Alarms” burglar alarm, Camden • Bearing the ever-popular shield trope, this slanty-edged bell box is a type that was once quite popular – indeed, it’s still a common sight on old Cannon alarms around Bristol. There were some comments about the sounder’s design beneath this SWAT box from York, including that it’s “very loud and sounds unique”, and is possibly a Regal Safe product. Regarding speed, the firm is express no more: a company search shows it was incorporated in 1946 and was also known in the 1980s as Hornet and later Computa-Guard, but was bought by Chubb in the 1990s. Blimey, the stuff you can turn up on the internet. • Spotted: Covent Garden area, Camden, London, WC2, England, 2004 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Holborn and St Pancras
“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
“Ideal”, Westminster: mighty hand
Posted by on May 6, 2012
“Ideal” burglar alarm, City of Westminster • Now on to caring, sharing hands. This clever logo sums up the idea of protecting your abode most elegantly (unless you read it as a mighty giant smiting the house down) – and I always like the uber-positive term “ideal”, conjuring up as it does the “ideal homes” of quaintly optimistic 1950s advertising. Not surprisingly, there are quite a few security outfits called Ideal; but the mighty smiting house-hand here leads me to the 30-year-old Southampton firm Ideal Fire & Security Ltd, whose website shows the same logo on their van. • Spotted: Tavistock Street, City of Westminster, London, WC2, England, 2004 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of Cities of London and Westminster
“Primary Systems Ltd”, Camden: cardiac arrest
Posted by on March 26, 2012
“Primary Systems Ltd” burglar alarm, Camden • The medical-looking arrow here, with its zig-zag kink and bulging red blob, makes me think of an electrocardiogram trace tracking a pulmonary embolism. Combine this with the name Primary, and it conjures up primary health care trusts and hospitals. And that’s not a good thing, because it’s depressing. I can only find Primary Systems Ltd on useless old business directory sites, so I reckon the firm went into cardiac arrest itself. • Spotted: Covent Garden area, Camden, London, WC2, England, 2004 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Holborn and St Pancras
“APT”, Herne Bay: circuit diagram
Posted by on March 19, 2012
“APT” burglar alarm, Herne Bay • This has a logo of weird broken arrows which I can only assume refers to some kind of circuit diagram. Back in 2004, when I photographed this in Herne Bay, I later wandered past a junk shop which had the APT logo on its fascia. So, unless APT were combining security with a sideline in car boot sales, by that time they had either closed down or moved onwards and upwards. There’s still an APT Security in Kent boasting 20 years of experience and a much smarter logo, so maybe it was the latter. • Spotted: High Street, Herne Bay, Kent, CT6, England, 2004 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of Thanet North
“AM Security Group”, Brighton: swelling sides
Posted by on March 5, 2012
“AM Security Group” burglar alarm, Brighton • Not a super-rare case style, but unusual and striking nevertheless with its swelling sides. You see these mounted horizontally too, and with the right design and colourway such boxes can look stylish – though this isn’t one of them. The busy logo manages to cram in references to time, a bit of a key at the end of the ‘M’, and radiating from the ‘A’ is a spiky circle that suggests a bandsaw or a gun sight, but is probably meant to be soundwaves. • Spotted: Old Steine, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1, England, 2004 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of Brighton Kemptown
“Carroll Security”, East Grinstead: badly-cut wedge
Posted by on February 26, 2012
“Carroll Security” burglar alarm, East Grinstead • This must be an earlier version of yesterday’s Carroll, as it looks like metal and they aren’t yet a “Group”. It’s a more geometrical version of yesterday’s logo, again professional, and surely designed in the 1970s. Once again it’s an unusual sounder shape, this time like a badly-cut wedge of cheese. I used to think this was to fit the sloping roof, but I’ve seen others on flat walls since and they all have the same slanting box. • Spotted: Middle Row, East Grinstead, West Sussex, RH19, England, 2004 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of Sussex Mid
“Micromark”, Herne Bay: sixties sci-fi DIY mystery
Posted by on January 26, 2012
“Micromark Security Systems” burglar alarm, Herne Bay • I’ve included this splendid space-age case in the “retro-futurism” category because it’s a top piece of 1960s-style sci-fi design, and Micro-Anything, like Anything-Tronic, conjures up the early days of integrated circuits (and yes, that does include Microsoft). I’ve seen quite a few of these around – they seem to be used by Micromark only – and they’re always still in pristine condition. I’d assumed that this was because they were some high-end piece of kit, but having done an image search on Micromark, I’ve discovered they target the cheap DIY market, as explained in this Guardian article and on this spammy-looking Security System Guide. This and several other Micromark systems (none of which I’ve spotted in the wild) crop up listed on Amazon and various price comparison sites, but they generally seem to be unavailable, so I’ll leave it to the experts to tell me more about this mysterious brand. Bizarrely, there’s a YouTube video here of some lad setting up a Micromark alarm on his wardrobe – I doubt that his mother was impressed. • Spotted: Station Road, Herne Bay, Kent, CT6, England, 2004 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of Thanet North
“Crown”, City of Westminster: weedy update
Posted by on January 6, 2012
“Crown” burglar alarm, City of Westminster • I debated whether to put this in, because it’s almost the same as yesterday’s, and I said my somewhat irascible piece about crowns then. However, at the risk of being hoist by my own anti-History Channel petard, this is a sad example of how burglar alarm design degenerated from its glory days of sturdy metal boxes and proud ridged roundels to the tacky, plasticky nothings that booted them out. Look how much worse this weedy update has worn and faded than yesterday’s fine original. And as for the bland corporate font – it doesn’t even conjure up the Nazis! And what kind of a sorry excuse for a burglar alarm is that? • Spotted: Horseferry Road, City of Westminster, London, SW1, England, 2004 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of Cities of London and Westminster
“Monarch”, East Grinstead: bring on the crowns
Posted by on January 1, 2012
“Monarch Security & Fire” burglar alarm, East Grinstead • Well, amazingly I’ve managed to keep this blog going for a whole year, and after posting north of 365 different burglar alarms I still have a vast amount yet to feature (don’t all cheer at once). So, seeing as it’s a leap year, here’s to the next 366 alarms. But I do actually have a bit of a life too (just a bit), so from today I’ve changed the format slightly in order that I don’t always have to write so much about each one. I’ll still be posting in series of themes, as taxonomy was always the point of this blog, and I’ll introduce each theme as before. But, if I haven’t got anything to much say about a particular alarm – other than that it fits within the genre – then I’ll keep it very brief. I would still appreciate comments however, and will be reading them all avidly and answering where appropriate as I do now. Following on from yesterday’s vintage Royale, the first theme of 2012 is “Royalty” – which, as well as being appropriate for this jubilee year, is one of the security world’s most enduringly popular tropes, preferably accompanied, as here, by a hefty old crown. Oh, and notice the aptly regal address – not the last I’ll feature, as royal British road names aren’t exactly rare. • Spotted: Queens Walk, East Grinstead, West Sussex, RH19, England, 2004 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of Sussex Mid
“Abel”, East Grinstead: biblical victim
Posted by on December 20, 2011
“Abel Alarm” burglar alarm, East Grinstead • According to the Bible, Abel was the world’s first murder victim, being the son of Adam and Eve who was slain by his brother Cain. This firm’s memorable name is definitely a reference to the event, as recorded in this article I came across by an Abel employee. In it, the company’s boss Peter Eyre explains that when he launched the firm in 1965, he wanted a name that would sit atop all alphabetical lists. “So obviously I was looking at AA,” he is quoted as saying, “but that had already gone! Therefore, I picked up the Oxford Dictionary and came across Abel – who was the slayer of Cain. I thought that it was good to have a religious connection. In addition, the name Abel is at the top of the list…A followed by B. It infers and sounds like an alarm bell – A Bell! To sum up we as a company are very able…so that was it, I got it registered.” So the name is Abel, able, alphabetical and a bell – which is all very clever, but maybe the interview was wrongly transcribed, because Abel didn’t kill Cain, he was killed by him, becoming an eternal symbol of martyrdom. Whatever, my favourite placing of this biblical classic is above a door in Church Walk, shown below. • Spotted: Middle Row, East Grinstead, West Sussex, RH19, England, 2004 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of Sussex Mid
Above: an old example of the biblical alarm aptly placed in Church Walk, Rugby
“Panther Security”, East Grinstead: mutant eyebrow
Posted by on October 25, 2011
“Panther Security” burglar alarm, East Grinstead • For years I didn’t spot the “P” in the eye here, and was racking my brains as to what the full word could be – “ANTHEM” was my best (and wrong) guess. Then recently I came across this more recent version: lo and behold there was a letter “P” in the eye, so the firm is of course Panther. Although real panthers don’t have eyebrows. • Spotted: London Road, East Grinstead, West Sussex, RH19, England, 2004 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of Sussex Mid
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