Sentry Hull, Hull, 2013
“Sentry Hull” burglar alarm, Kingston upon Hull • A more faded sentry than yesterday’s. • Spotted: Scale Lane, Kingston upon Hull, East Yorkshire, HU1, England, 2013 • Politics: In the Labour […]
Laser Alarms, Westminster: acronym
"Laser Alarms" burglar alarm, City of Westminster • Acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. And a very nice logo (seriously). • Spotted: Great Portland Street, City of Westminster, London, W1, England, 2012 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of Cities of London and Westminster“ATA Systems”, Bristol: intricate
"ATA Systems Protegimus" burglar alarm, Bristol • Not sure if this is related to yesterday's ATA – the trestle-tabley monogram's quite similar, if somewhat ambiguous as to whether it says AA or ATA. The surrounds, however, are vastly more intricate: a heraldic array of shield, crossed swords, scary cyclops eye, what looks like a maltese cross poking out from behind, and all supported with a scroll bearing the Harry Potteresque declamation "Protegimus" (we protect). Leaving nothing to chance, then. • Spotted: Nova Scotia Place, Bristol, Avon, BS1, England, 2013 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bristol WestGhost under “Arrow”, Chelsea: neat niche
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“Cannon Security”, Bristol: new gun
"Cannon Security" burglar alarm, Bristol • I started this weapons category with an old Cannon, so I'll end it with a new one. And tomorrow's category? It's a mystery even to me. • Spotted: Queen Street, Bristol, Avon, BS1, England, 2012 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bristol West“Assegai Security Solutions”, Aylesbury: exotic
"Assegai Security Solutions" burglar alarm, Aylesbury • Today's weapon is the exotic assegai, a light iron-tipped throwing spear mainly used in South Africa. The company behind it are rather more local, and have an impressive talking website here. • Spotted: Buckingham Street, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP20, England, 2010 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of Aylesbury“Direct Security”, Hackney: completist
"Direct Security" burglar alarm, Hackney • In another blow for weapons completism, here's a slightly later Direct arrow than the one featured here. They're still using a label, but now sporting a white box an 0181 number, which was obsolete by 2000. • Spotted: Chatsworth Road, Hackney, London, E5, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Hackney North and Stoke Newington“Arrow Security”, Chelsea: go faster
"Arrow Security" burglar alarm, Kensington and Chelsea • A very completist entry as I've already shown a similar Arrow Security sounder here. This one looks newer, and the arrow's more subtly shaded with thinner "go faster" stripes, and that's about it... • Spotted: Beauchamp Place, Kensington and Chelsea, London, SW3, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of Kensington“Mace”, Derby: bonce-buster
"Mace" burglar alarm, Derby • I once saw a real Tudor mace in a museum, and it was very scary indeed - a massive club that could shatter a skull with one blow. And these days, Mace is a generic term for tear gas and pepper spray, of the type popular for quelling civil unrest. So despite the atractive ceremonial crossed maces shown here, it's not a weapon you'd want to get too close to. I found this sounder in Derby, so I reckon the firm behind it is Staffordshire-based Mace Security, though the logo's now changed to something less martial. • Spotted: Town centre, Derby, Derbyshire, DE1, England, 2010 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Derby South“Claymore Security”, Edinburgh: great sword
"Claymore Security" burglar alarm, Edinburgh • I wrongly guessed yesterday's sword was a scimitar, when in fact it was a Saxon Seax. Fortunately there's no chance of getting this one wrong, as it's written on the sounder: it's the Scottish Claymore or "great sword", much used in clan warfare and recognisable by the forward-sloping arms of its handle. The firm behind the weapon is a long-standing Scottish outfit – you can find their website here. • Spotted: Jeffrey Street, Edinburgh, Scotland, EH1, 2012 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Edinburgh East“Essex Security Services”, Tower Hamlets: not scimitars
"Essex Security Services" burglar alarm, Tower Hamlets • Courtesy of Essex Security Services, already heavily featured on this blog, come what I at first thought were three scimitars – curved sabres good for slashing from horses, and much favoured in medieval Arabia. But as I am reliably informed by the firm's head honcho (see comments, below), they are in fact Seaxes: Germanic daggers from which the Essex-bound Saxons took their name, and which now feature in the Essex coat of arms. • Spotted: Redchurch Street, Tower Hamlets, London, E2, England, 2007 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Bethnal Green and Bow“Sabre Security Services”, Herne Bay: slashed
"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“Broadsword Security”, Cirencester: battle-ready
"Broadsword Security Services" burglar alarm, Cirencester • This shows Broadsword's current identity - and rather brilliantly, there's an animated sword on their website. But if you'd prefer anti-burglar protection from an actual battle-ready broasdsword, you can buy one here (after all, the Tories reckon it's OK to stab burglars now). Or, if you're a bit too wet for that, there's a broadsword-handled umbrella here. • Spotted: Town centre, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, GL7, England, 2007 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of Cotswolds“Broadsword”, Hackney: burglar-slicer
"Broadsword" burglar alarm, Hackney • According to their website, Broadsword were formed in 1985 - and this sounder doesn't look much younger. A broadsword is a heavy military sword, all the better for slicing up burglars. Wikipedia reckons they have "basket handles" (ie the kind that cover your hand), though the one illustrated here doesn't. • Spotted: Paul Street, Hackney, London, EC2, England, 2008 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Hackney South and Shoreditch“Cannon”, Bristol: mighty weapon
"Cannon Bristol" burglar alarm, Bristol • I start today's "weapons" theme with the mighty Cannon, who seem to provide about half the burglar alarms in Bristol. Surprisingly, I've never featured them before (apart from an old one in the distance here) – and this is an even earlier example, I reckon. • Spotted: Clifton Down area, Bristol, Avon, BS8, England, 2010 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bristol West“Guard Security Systems”, Camden: vicious
"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“Homeguard Security Systems”, Derby: bobble hats
"Homeguard Security Systems" burglar alarm, Derby • These guys look like toy soldiers, albeit with guns – and their bearskins look like bobbles. But, given the Queen only gets four Foot Guards outside her gaff, having three on the front of your house isn't bad going. • Spotted: Town centre, Derby, Derbyshire, DE1, England, 2010 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Derby South“AllguarDelta Security”, Derby: dead bear
"AllguarDelta Security" burglar alarm, Derby • Those bearskin hats actually are made of brown bear, all the way from Canada. Apparently the Army has tried to find a synthetic substitute, without any success. I suggest: macramé. • Spotted: Town centre, Derby, Derbyshire, DE1, England, 2010 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Derby South“Assure”, Glasgow: foot guard
"Assure" burglar alarm, Glasgow • The correct name for these guys is Royal Foot Guards, and the Her Maj has four in front of Buck House whenever she's in residence (two when she's not). This one's lurking in a non-standard sentry box roofed with Assure's "AA" logo. Has anyone informed the Palace? • Spotted: Merchant City area, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, G1, Scotland, 2010 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Glasgow Central“Sentry Alarms”, Hull: furry hat
"Sentry Alarms Limited" burglar alarm, Kingston upon Hull • It's not just the Queen who's guarded by blokes in giant furry hats – they're very popular on burglar alarms, as we shall see. The one above is on a blameless wall in Hull, but here's one I featured earlier that was decorating a brothel (seriously). • Spotted: Town centre, Kingston upon Hull, East Yorkshire, HU1, England, 2005 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Hull West and Hessle