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“August Alarms”, Islington: venerable month
“August Alarms” burglar alarm, Islington • Is that August the eighth month of the Gregorian calendar, or August to rhyme with disgust – meaning venerable? Either way it doesn’t matter, because you’re...
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“Security Centres”, Islington: complicated history
“Security Centres” burglar alarm, Islington • I’ve already featured Security Centres twice in the lightning category, but I’m a sucker for decaying sounders, so here they are again with a very rusty...
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“Independent Security Contracts”, Islington: encrusted
“Independent Security Contracts Ltd” burglar alarm, Islington • Another embattled shield, encrusted with names: “Security ISC 24 Independent Contractors Ltd” if read in an attempt at logical order....
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“Classic Alarms”, Islington: double dated
“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...
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“Brocks Alarms”, Islington: non-faded
“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...
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“Alarm Shop II”, Islington: where’s Shop 1?
“Alarm Shop II” burglar alarm, Islington • Now a very brief run of alarms named after shops. Not famous shops, like M&S or Tesco – just generic shops, as in Shop. This disco-tastic logo actually...
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“Ace Security”, Islington: 1970s non-disco
“Ace Security” burglar alarm, Islington • A 1970s disco logo for a 1970s non-disco group: Ace, a bunch of hairy be-flared musos notable mainly for the very successful single “How Long”, which was top...
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“Metropolitan Alarms”, Islington: synth-pop
“Metropolitan Alarms” burglar alarm, Islington • OK, a slight cheat – the firm’s called Metropolitan, but their logo’s a giant M, synonymous with groovy new wave synth-popsters M, whose “Pop Muzic”...
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“CPA Alarms”, Islington: obscure
“CPA Alarms” burglar alarm, Islington • The strange logo at the top, which to me looks like a giant molar, is in fact some unidentifiable panels (presumably not a Richard Serra sculpture) on top of a...
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“Wilton Alarms”, Islington: registration marks
“Wilton Alarms” burglar alarm, Islington • This definitely looks like a gun sight’s crosshairs, though if I’m honest it also resembles the registration marks printers use to help line up their plates...
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“Expo”, Islington: gun sight
“Expo” burglar alarm, Islington • Yet another gun-sight crosshair – very James Bond. Not, presumably, named after the Stockhausen composition for three shortwave radios. Tomorrow: monograms. •...
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“Avant Garde”, Islington: advance guard
“Avant Garde” burglar alarm, Islington • Originally French for “advance guard”, these days avant garde means being somewhat ahead of the times. Generally the term refers to artists, but I don’t see...
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“Crime Beat Security”, Islington: bell-end
“Crime Beat Security” burglar alarm, Islington • I’ve already featured the tortuous CBS bell here, but this is a more recent version with a curvier bell-end, and a garland of EU stars. Still a winner...
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“GAF Alarms”, Islington: punny
“GAF Alarms” burglar alarm, Islington • One of my favourites, both for its awkward yet traditional 1920s-style monogram, and the fact that GAF is a sort-of pun on house, though I’m not sure if that’s...
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“Integrated Systems Installations”, Islington: illegible
“ISI Integrated Systems Installations” burglar alarm, Islington • I’ve long had a version of this without the name spelt out beneath, and I simply couldn’t work out if it said ISI or LSI. Lucky I...
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“A1 Alarms”, Islington
“A1 Alarms” burglar alarm, Islington • Ah, A1 again. But this is the first red version I’ve shown (albeit very faded). • Spotted: Packington Street, Islington, London, N1, England, 2011 • Politics: In...
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Bellhouse Security Ltd, Islington: plain
“Bellhouse Security Ltd” burglar alarm, Islington • I guess a bellhouse is a house with a bell in it. It’s a plain old sounder, but look at the lovely old butcher’s shop I found it on (below). •...
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Q Guard, Islington: big Q
“Q Guard Security” burglar alarm, Islington • At last, a chance to feature the Q Guard logo with its excellent big Q. How can one not think of James Bond gadgets? • Spotted: Goswell Road, Islington,...
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Telecom Alarms Ltd, Islington: big T
“Telecom Alarms Ltd” burglar alarm, Islington • The strangely named (I always think) Telecom alarms has a boring logo, but at least it contains a big T. • Spotted: Clerkenwell Green, Islington,...
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CSS, Islington: Canadian
“CSS” burglar alarm, Islington • Ah yes, the good old Canadian Space Society. • Spotted: Wharfdale Road, Islington, London, N1, England, 2010 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Islington South...
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SPE, Islington: shortform
“SPE” burglar alarm, Islington • Short for Special Purpose Electronics, perhaps. • Spotted: St Peter’s Street, Islington, London, N1, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Islington...
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DR Security & Electrical Ltd, Islington: blobby
“DR Security & Electrical Ltd” burglar alarm, Islington • Dr Blobby’s in da house – another version of a very old favourite, as posted here. • Spotted: Compton Street, Islington, London, EC1,...
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Securitech, Islington: football shirt
“Securitech” burglar alarm, Islington • Today we move from science to technology, one of burglar alarm land’s favourite tropes. I really like this striking old design, which looks like a stripy...
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British Security Technologies, Islington: heartbeat
“British Security Technologies” burglar alarm, Islington • Looks more like a heartbeat monitor (a dirty one). • Spotted: York Way, Islington, London, N1, England, 2010 • Politics: In the Labour...
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Southern Electric, Islington: 1980s
“Southern Electric Security Systems” burglar alarm, Islington • This is a very 1980s-looking illustration, though I daresay the alarm is more recent. Whether it’s the same Southern Electric as this...
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Brocks Security Systems, Islington: badger
“Brocks Security Systems” burglar alarm, Islington • Superb vintage sounder with a 3D representation of a striking bell, sharing a monicker with Brock the (hopefully non-tubercular) badger. • Spotted:...
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Wormald Security, Islington: Dickensian
“Wormald Security” burglar alarm, Islington • And when you’re fishing, you need a worm. Or a Wormald. What a wonderful Dickensian name! And a great 1970s-style modernist monogram, as well. • Spotted:...
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Astrotech, Islington: astronauts
“Astrotech Security” burglar alarm, Islington • A highly-wrought computer game-style design attempting to conjure up technology so advanced it’s used by astronauts. Or something. • Spotted: Whistler...
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Alert Security, Islington: mini-monogram
“Alert Security” burglar alarm, Islington • There’s a mini-monogram on this faded oldster if you look closely – an A in a shield up at the top. To my mind (ie the sad mind of a graphic designer), it...
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Beta Security Ltd, Islington, N1, 2011
“Beta Security Ltd” burglar alarm, Islington • I can see why you’d call your firm Alpha, but Beta? It’s a popular name though. Maybe it stands for “beater”. Or “better”. • Spotted: Camden Passage,...
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