Casa, Bath, 2013
Casa, St Catharine’s Close, Bath, Avon, 2013 (photo by Stuart Feltham) • As already stated, my daily alarms are soon coming to an end (though I will still add some […]
Multi Alarm Bristol, Bristol, 2011
Multi Alarm Bristol, St Nicholas Street, Bristol, Avon, BS1, England, 2011 • Horizontal and v. dirty one here.
DSSA Bath, Bristol, 2009
DSSA Bath, Town centre, Bristol, Avon, BS1, England, 2009 • Like DSA but with an extra S.
Philip Dadd Security Systems, Bristol, 2013
Philip Dadd Security Systems, Hotwell Road, Bristol, Avon, BS8, England, 2013
RJB Security Systems, Bristol, 2011
RJB Security Systems, All Saints Lane, Bristol, Avon, BS1, England, 2011
Multi Alarm GB, Bristol, 2013
Multi Alarm GB Fire and Crime Defence Systems Bristol and London, Braggs Lane, Bristol, Avon, BS2, England, 2013
KO, Bristol, 2007
KO, Town centre, Bristol, Avon, BS1, England, 2007
C & G, Camden, 2012
C & G, Maple Street, Camden, London, W1, England, 2012
BWS Security Systems, Bristol, 2011
BWS Security Systems, Victoria Street, Bristol, Avon, BS1, England, 2011
AA Alarms, Bath, 2011
AA Alarms, Old Orchard Street, Bath, Avon, BA1, England, 2011
Advanced Security, Bristol, 2012
Advanced Security, Queen Street, Bristol, Avon, BS1, England, 2012
Advanced Security, Bristol, 2011
Advanced Security, Surrey Street, Bristol, Avon, BS2, England, 2011 • Previously published in the distance here.
Owl Alarms, Bristol, 2012
“Owl Alarms” burglar alarm, Bristol • Very popular alarm bird – there’s another version of this firm’s bell box here. • Spotted: Baldwin Street, Bristol, Avon, BS1, England, 2012 • Politics: […]
SGD, Bristol, 2011
“SGD” burglar alarm, Bristol • Not so much a monogram as three initials jammed together, but it’s nice. No clue what it stands for, though. • Spotted: Surrey Street, Bristol, […]
ID Fire & Security, Bristol, 2012
“ID Fire & Security” burglar alarm, Bristol • Surprise surprise, another burglar alarm from Bristol. About the one millionth on this blog. • Spotted: Union Street, Bristol, Avon, BS1, England, […]
Stroud Alarms, Bristol, 2012
“Stroud Alarms” burglar alarm, Bristol • Most of these sounders named after geographical areas seem to have incredibly generic designs. • Spotted: Queen Square, Bristol, Avon, BS1, England, 2012 • Politics: […]
Bath & West Security, Bristol, 2011
“Bath & West Security” burglar alarm, Bristol • A newer version of yesterday’s boring sounder. • Spotted: Queen’s Road, Bristol, Avon, BS8, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency […]
Bath & West Security, Bath, 2011
“Bath & West Security” burglar alarm, Bath • Hmm, my entries for these geographical alarms are rather grumpy. Here’s a boring one from Bath. • Spotted: Alfred Street, Bath, Avon, BA1, England, […]
1st New Century Security, Bristol, 2011
“1st New Century Security” burglar alarm, Bristol • An appropriate name for a new year. There’s another version of this, minus the “1st”, here. • Spotted: Victoria Street, Bristol, Avon, BS1, England, […]
Chubb Alarm, Bristol, 2011
“Chubb Alarm” burglar alarm, Bristol • Sadly, I can even tell that this old wreck is the remains of a Chubb. • Spotted: Surrey Street, Bristol, Avon, BS2, England, 2011 • Politics: […]
Chubb, Bristol, 2011
“Chubb” burglar alarm, Bristol • Chubbs simply don’t stand the test of time. There are a few more here, some equally rusty. • Spotted: Surrey Street, Bristol, Avon, BS2, England, 2011 […]
Multi-Alarm, 2011
“Multi-Alarm Bristol” burglar alarm, Bath • The alarm isn’t rusty, but the label looks like it is. • Spotted: Bartlett Street, Bath, Avon, BA1, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Liberal […]
Securicor Stronghold, Bath, 2011
“Securicor Stronghold” burglar alarm, Bath • A Securicor takeover, I presume. • Spotted: Park Place, Bath, Avon, BA1, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bath
Nameless burglar alarm, Bath, 2011
Nameless burglar alarm, Bath • No idea what this used to say. • Spotted: Bartlett Street, Bath, Avon, BA1, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bath
Private Security Services, Bristol, 2011
“Private Security Services Freephone” burglar alarm, Bristol • Bespoke private security. Impressive! (Joke.) • Spotted: Sydney Row, Bristol, Avon, BS1, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bristol […]
Care Master, Bath, 2011
“Care Master Crime Prevention” burglar alarm, Bath • I always think alarms with checked stripes are trying to conjure up the checks on police cars and hat bands – and this one’s […]
MJE Alarms, Bath, 2011
“MJE Alarms” burglar alarm, Bath • At last, a burglar running in the other direction. And with a hat on, too. • Spotted: George Street, Bath, Avon, BA1, England, 2011 • […]
RH Alarms, Bristol, 2011
“RH Alarms” burglar alarm, Bristol • I featured a more faded version of this ages ago. Finally, one showing the name. • Spotted: St Stephens Street, Bristol, Avon, BS1, England, 2011 […]
DSA, Bath, 2011
“DSA Bath” burglar alarm, Bath • Burglar running through curtain, pretty similar to the one here. • Spotted: York Buildings, Bath, Avon, BA1, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat […]
Dudley Bower Security, Bristol, 2013
“Dudley Bower Security” burglar alarm, Bristol • I sometimes think every single person in Bristol must have their own burglar alarm company. • Spotted: Broadmead, Bristol, Avon, BS1, England, 2013 • […]
Nameless Yin & Yang alarm, Bristol, 2011
Nameless yin and yang burglar alarm, Bristol • Very odd. A yin and yang symbol with no name. Peace, man. • Spotted: Portland Square, Bristol, Avon, BS2, England, 2011 • Politics: In […]
EAS, Bath, 2011
“EAS Bath” burglar alarm, Bath • Nice old bell box quietly rusting on a Bath building. • Spotted: Crescent Lane, Bath, Avon, BA1, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Liberal […]
Cannon Fire & Security, Bristol, 2013
“Cannon Fire & Security” burglar alarm, Bristol • One of Cannon’s multifarious logos, this time featuring a semi-oval, aka a “swoosh”. • Spotted: West Street, Bristol, Avon, BS2, England, 2013 […]
BAC Fire & Security, Bristol, 2011
“BAC Fire & Security” burglar alarm, Bristol • A close-up of the bell box I featured on the attractive multi-headed building here. • Spotted: St Nicholas Street, Bristol, Avon, BS1, […]
Avon Alarms, Bristol, 2011
“Avon Alarms” burglar alarm, Bristol • Featured here by dint of a pathetic scrap of black duct tape hanging from the side. Looks like they used the bellbox as a fixing point for […]
Tate Alarm, Bath, 2011
“Tate Alarm” burglar alarm, Bath • Trapped by triffids! • Spotted: St Andrews Terrace, Bath, Avon, BA1, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bath
APS Automatic Protection Systems, Bristol, 2006
“APS Automatic Protection Systems” burglar alarm, Bristol • I have […]
EAS Systems, Bristol, 2006
“EAS Systems Bath” burglar alarm, Bristol • Again this doesn’t look much like an eye. But I’ve never featured one before, and it’s sort of eye-shaped, so that’s good enough. • […]
Thorn, Bristol, 2013
“Thorn” burglar alarm, Bristol • Just two stickers on this – a dog, and what looks like the Loch Ness monster (or maybe a dinosaur). • Spotted: John Street, Bristol, […]
Safeguard Alarms, Bristol, 2013
“Safeguard Alarms” burglar alarm, Bristol • Still on the semi-vintage theme, a rather ragged example which probably looks older than it is. • Spotted: Christmas Street, Bristol, Avon, England, 2013 • […]
Stand Fast Security Systems, Bristol, 2011
“Stand Fast Security Systems” burglar alarm, Bristol • Same kind of box as Lloyds yesterday, but with the very common (as in you see it a lot) name of Stand […]
AFA Minerva Thorn EMI, Bath, 2012
“AFA Minerva Thorn EMI” burglar alarm, Bath • Maximum name-ology on what I take to be a plastic drum box and therefore possibly early 1980s. An unusual find because normally […]
Shorrock, Bristol: mossy
“Shorrock” burglar alarm, Bristol • And here’s the final, rather mossy, incarnation of the “tupperware” box, as a Shorrock. You still see quite a few of these around, so I’m […]
Securicor Alarms, Bristol: valiant
“Securicor Alarms” burglar alarm, Bristol • A superb vintage find for Christmas day, Securicor in the days when it was branded “vigilant & valiant”. Founded in 1935 as Nightwatch Services, […]
Alarm Service Group, Bristol: blurred
"Alarm Service Group" burglar alarm, Bristol • Another version of yesterday's brand, this time on a variation of the Eurobell which has a clear plastic lid. This would look OK except the logo is repeated underneath the lid, meaning it looks so blurred you can't read it properly. • Spotted: Gloucester Street, Bristol, Avon, BS2, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bristol WestAlarm Service Group, Bristol: sad
"Alarm Service Group" burglar alarm, Bristol • Much as I like Eurobells, Alarm Service Group's nice logo looks rather sad on this one; nowhere near as impressive as when on their unusual square sounder, a custom classic featured here. • Spotted: Quay Street, Bristol, Avon, BS1, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bristol WestAA Security Systems, Bristol: non-alcoholic
"AA Security Systems Bristol" burglar alarm, Bristol • A lovely circular monogram, probably standing for Avon Alarms rather than being sponsored by Alcoholics Anomymous or the Automobile Association. • Spotted: Princess Victoria Street, Bristol, Avon, BS8, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bristol WestChubb, Bristol: triangularity
"Chubb" burglar alarm, Bristol • And here we have the ultimate in burglar alarm triangularity, the Chubb. I'm talking vintage Chubbs here, the kind with a sharp-edged metal box. and even a mini-triangle strobe on the top. It's a superb-looking design, but sadly they tend to go a bit rusty... • Spotted: St Nicholas Street, Bristol, Avon, BS1, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bristol WestProtec Wells, Bristol: ziggurat
"Protec Wells" burglar alarm, Bristol • How charming, a logo in the form a steppy triangle. A typographic ziggurat, if you will. I think it refers to the tiny city of Wells, rather than claiming to protect water-harbouring holes in the ground. Although you never know in the West Country – things sometimes get a bit weird out that way, and they do have quite a lot of ancient wells. • Spotted: Town centre, Bristol, Avon, BS1, England, 2007 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bristol WestAces Security System, Bristol: diamond
"Aces Security System" burglar alarm, Bristol • More of a diamond really, but composed of two clear – if somewhat awkward – typographic triangles, so just slips into the triangles category. • Spotted: Town centre, Bristol, Avon, BS1, England, 2006 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bristol WestARJ Security, Bristol: aaaargh
"ARJ Security" burglar alarm, Bristol • Another A blasting off an unexplained triangular monogram – it reads as a bit close to "Aaaargh" for my liking. • Spotted: Queen Street, Bristol, Avon, BS1, England, 2012 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bristol WestCerberus, Bristol: hades
"Cerberus" burglar alarm, Bristol • Weird blank arched alarm named after the three-headed guard dog to the entrance of Hades, also known as a constellation and a dark spot on Mars, amongst other astronomical things. There's a very tiny logo on there, but I can't work out what it is: it looks like a a book, a shield and a knight stumbled into the telepod machine that turned Jeff Goldblum into The Fly.• Spotted: John Street, Bristol, Avon, BS1, England, 2013 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bristol WestK.I.S., Bristol: wonky
"K.I.S. Key Integrated Systems" burglar alarm, Bristol • Wonky star in background, for no apparent reason. • Spotted: Royal Oak Avenue, Bristol, Avon, BS1, England, 2012 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bristol WestStar Security, Bristol: disco-tastic
"Star Security Bristol" burglar alarm, Bristol • One of my favourites, a real 1970s pop star of a bell box – just competely and utterly discotastic. • Spotted: Town centre, Bristol, Avon, BS1, England, 2006 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bristol WestAdes Burglar Alarm, Bristol: red moons
"Ades Burglar Alarm" burglar alarm, Bristol • I really like this weird old 1970s disco-style logo I found in Bristol, home of one squillion burglar alarm firms. It's probably meant to be soundwaves emanating from a bell, but looks more like a lot of crescent moons surrounding a planet, so I'm including it in the astronomy category too. The colour of the box may be significant: Ades is an unusual surname thought to derive from the Hebrew for "red". • Spotted: Gloucester Street, Bristol, Avon, BS2, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bristol WestCity Security Holdings, Bristol: wrinkled
"City Security Holdings" burglar alarm, Bristol • I always thought this logo was a crescent moon, but have just realised it may also be half an eye and also a C monogram – multilayered! Sadly the labels on these City alarms haven't worn well, they all seem to end up wrinkled like this one. • Spotted: Broad Street, Bristol, Avon, BS1, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bristol WestSSG Fire & Security, Bristol: earthy
"SSG Fire & Security" burglar alarm, Bristol • Starting today: astronomy and the heavens. So let's begin close to home, with a worryingly tilted planet earth. • Spotted: Broadmead, Bristol, Avon, BS1, England, 2013 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bristol West“Shorrock” with dog sticker, Bristol: revisited
"Shorrock" burglar alarm with dog sticker, Bristol • I got obsessed with this sticker a while back, as you can read here and here. And when I went back five years later it was still there, albeit even more tattered. • Spotted: Richmond Hill, Bristol, Avon, BS8, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bristol WestPlexnet, Bristol: computery
"Plexnet Networking and Digital Technology" burglar alarm, Bristol • I have no idea what a plexnet is, but it sounds digital and computery, so I'm including it here. • Spotted: St Nicholas Street, Bristol, Avon, BS1, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bristol WestCMR Electrical, Bristol: tiny
"CMR Electrical Telephone Bristol" burglar alarm, Bristol • A tiny, tiny old logo with a giant telephone number. It's too small to make out here, but the logo is a wee house surrounded by a giant chain and keys. • Spotted: Small Street, Bristol, Avon, BS1, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bristol WestSomer 2000, Bristol: anvil
"Somer 2000" burglar alarm, Bristol • A really unusual name and logo, which looks like a 1980s retro-futurist illustration of a communist-era anvil. However it may go back further than that: the Somer 2000 website informs us that the firm incorporates the vintage-sounding Sutton Transformers, whose logo this seems to be (note the S and T). The former were founded in 1995, the latter in 1975, so I'm not sure where the 2000 comes in (if it was meant to sound futuristic, they underestimated their longevity). I still think that's an anvil, with the lightning bolts shooting out – perhaps they made their transformers in a forge. • Spotted: Merchants Road, Bristol, Avon, England, 2013 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bristol WestAaron Hi-Tech, Bristol: sad
"Aaron Hi-Tech" burglar alarm, Bristol • Sadly well past its hi-tech days – there are a couple more here. • Spotted: Town centre, Bristol, Avon, BS1, England, 2006 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bristol WestSafety and Security, Bristol: SAS
"Safety and Security" burglar alarm, Bristol • SAS, geddit? Another one that's usurped a hexagonal – presumably ADT – sounder. • Spotted: Lower Maudlin Street, Bristol, Avon, BS1, England, 2013 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bristol West“Apex”, Bath: tippy-top
"Apex Alarms" burglar alarm, Bath • From Greek to Latin excellence with an alarm called Apex, meaning the very tippy-top. • Spotted: Bartlett Street, Bath, Avon, BA1, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bath“Adept”, Bath: understated
"Adept Fire & Security Systems Ltd" burglar alarm, Bath • This logo with its strange pink spot suggests only borderline excellence, as adept is such an odd, understated word: the thesaurus offers flowery synonyms like adroit, accomplished, and dextrous. But it's more fun playing "antonym alarms", so my non-excellent doppelganger would simply be called "Inept fire and security". Which might not catch on. • Spotted: Miles's Buildings, Bath, Avon, BA1, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bath“Pro-Wired”, Bristol: hookers
"Pro-Wired" burglar alarm, Bristol • Well I'd certainly hope it wasn't wired up by unprofessionals. And I won't make any jokes about drug-addled hookers... • Spotted: Braggs Lane, Bristol, Avon, BS2, England, 2013 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bristol West“DPS Alarms”, Bristol: double-page spread
"DPS Alarms" burglar alarm, Bristol • So good they named it twice - that's a tiny DPS monogram above the self-same black initials. DPS is what publishers call a double-page spread, fact fans, but I somehow doubt that's the firm's name. • Spotted: Broad Street, Bristol, Avon, BS1, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bristol West“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 West“Ape Fire & Security”, Bristol: wild
"Ape Fire & Security" burglar alarm, Bristol • Ah, APE – not only a wild animal emitting soundwaves, but an unexplained hand-drawn monogram in the shape of a circle. Many boxes ticked. • Spotted: Victoria Street, Bristol, Avon, BS1, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bristol West“Aeon”, Bristol: eternity
"Aeon Electronic Protection Systems" burglar alarm, Bristol • Now we move on to astronomical time, literally - the term "aeon" has been used to describe the period between big bangs, though to the ancient Greeks it meant simply eternity. All that and a crosshair too. • Spotted: Royal Oak Avenue, Bristol, Avon, BS1, England, 2012 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bristol West“Future”, Bath: timely
"Future Security Systems" burglar alarm, Bath • So endeth two years of burglar alarms. But blub ye not (in the unlikely event that you were), because - amazingly, heroically, certifiably - I have at least another year's-worth to publish, though I won't always be writing "pithy" comments as in the past. And to usher in the new year, 2013's first theme is "Time", which I shall kick off with the, um, futuristic Future. Why? Well, 2013 sounds like a science fiction year, and also there's a big publishing company called Future based in Bath, where I found this sounder. So here's to the future. Cheers! • Spotted: Margaret's Buildings, Bath, Avon, BA1, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bath“Cannon”, Bristol: big guns
"Cannon" burglar alarm, Bristol • A word, fact fans, derived from the Italian for "big tube". And basically a giant gun, so obviously shooting-related. • Spotted: All Saints Lane, Bristol, Avon, BS1, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bristol West“Marksman”, Bristol: take aim
"Marksman Security Ltd" burglar alarm, Bristol • Today I start a brief and brutal run of shooting-related sounder designs, both deliberate and coincidental. The word "marksman" is a fairly unambiguous reference to firearms, as are the target-like soundwaves (if that's what they are)... so, take aim! • Spotted: Broad Street, Bristol, Avon, BS1, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bristol West“Avon Alarms”, Bristol: gorge
"Avon Alarms" burglar alarm, Bristol • There are several River Avons in the UK, because Avon is a derivation of the ancient British word for river: thus River Avon actually means River River. This charmingly discotastic sounder refers to the lovely "Bristol Avon", which runs through Gloucestershire and Wiltshire en route to Bath and Bristol, where it cleaves the mighty Avon Gorge then heads out to sea. Avon Alarms are a familiar sight in the city, which also used to be in the county of Avon, before it got turned into a "unitary authority". • Spotted: Clifton area, Bristol, Avon, BS8, England, 2006 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bristol West
Above: the Avon Gorge, BristolGhost under “Southwest Security”, Bristol: fusillade
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 WestGhost under “ASG Vision”, Bristol: anagrams
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 WestPainted ghost alarm, Bath: decorators required
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“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“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“Shop 66”, Bristol: posh 99
"Shop 66" burglar alarm, Bristol • I really like this, my final "Shop" alarm – it looks like it was customised specially for the old-school electrical shop it's on (below), which is at number 66. If you turned the sounder upside-down it would almost say Posh 99, which sounds like an expensive ice-cream, or a clone of a Spice Girl: which brings us neatly on to the next theme, namely Pop Music.• Spotted: Alma Road, Bristol, Avon, BS8, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bristol West
“Security Shop”, Bristol: self explanatory
"Security Shop" burglar alarm, Bristol • A shop that sells security, I guess. 'Nuff said. • Spotted: Queen's Road, Bristol, Avon, BS8, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bristol West“Dragon” burglar alarm, Bath: Welsh magic
"Dragon" burglar alarm, Bath • Some Taffs crossed river to Bristol, it seems, and deposited their red dragon there. Dating back to at least 829 AD, "Y Ddraig Goch" still features on the Welsh flag today, though by Tudor times the poor thing was also supporting the English crown's coat of arms. Reminds me of an old children's song: "Puff the magic dragon, lived by the sea..." (blubs uncontrollably). • Spotted: Milsom Street, Bath, Avon, BA1, England, 2012 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bath“S.G.D. Security”, Bristol: rough and ready
"S.G.D. Security" burglar alarm, Bristol • I don't know what S.G.D. stands for, but I think we can assume it's not "So Good". Sadly, I can't make out what firm their rough-and-ready heraldic punching lion has stickered over. • Spotted: Union Street, Bristol, Avon, BS1, England, 2012 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bristol West“Bristol & West Security”, Bristol: criminal tattoo
"Bristol & West Security" burglar alarm, Bristol • The name looks and sounds as if it's a building society (the old fashioned non-hedge fund sort) – so maybe it was. Under Photoshop enhancement, the faded carbuncle above the name (below) resembles a Russian criminal tattoo. Phenomenally complex, it incorporates two unicorns, a massive old ship on a shield (shades of old Westward TV logo), crossed human arms clutching scales of justice and a snake (law v burglar v, geddit?), and the legend Quality in Service. They don't make 'em like that any more. • Spotted: Baldwin Street, Bristol, Avon, BS1, England, 2012 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bristol West
“New Century Security”, Bristol: double whammy
"New Century Security" burglar alarm, Bristol • This is a double whammy: a shield-within-shield logo. And not just that, but a gauntlet clutching a lightning bolt, a rampant lion, a window at night (I think), a repetition of their name, and what looks like the European stars. There's even another version with "21st" above the title, just in case you thought the new century was the 18th. Talk about covering all the bases. • Spotted: Surrey Street, Bristol, Avon, BS2, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bristol West
“Alarm Safe”, Bath: cream shield
"Alarm Safe" burglar alarm, Bath • It's cream, and it was on an ice-cream shop. Excellent. • Spotted: York Street, Bath, Avon, BA1, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bath“Castle Security”, Bristol: chess-style
"Castle Security" burglar alarm, Bristol • Oh dear, a pair of very sad and stained old chess-style castles, with even the contact number snipped off (at least, that's what I assume the gap between them is). Probably nothing to do yesterday's Castle – it must be an extremely popular name. Yet another anonymous throwback from the enormous burglar alarm mortuary that is Bristol. • Spotted: Town centre, Bristol, Avon, BS1, England, 2006 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bristol West“Aztec Solutions”, Bristol: surely a Roman?
"Aztec Solutions" burglar alarm, Bristol • The logo says "Aztec Securities" (which, if Aztec practices were actually followed, would involve ritually ripping out the still-beating hearts of felons), but the designer has surely used clip art of a Roman soldier to illustrate it. This headgear looks strongly like a legionary's plumed helmet with visor and ear guard to me, rather than a pre-Columbian feathered headdress with ear plugs. Either that or Sussex Alarms is portraying an Aztec too. • Spotted: Surrey Street, Bristol, Avon, BS2, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bristol West
Burglar Alarm Britain 