City Alarms, Hackney, 2006
City Alarms, Kingsland Road, Hackney, London, E2, England, 2006 • Similar but red and not wrapped in wire.
Granley Burglar Alarm, Hackney, 2008
Granley Burglar Alarm, Paul Street, Hackney, London, EC2, England, 2008 • Very faded version of this, and the wooden surround is slightly different. For all Granleys see here.
Masco, Hackney, 2006
Masco, Rivington Street, Hackney, London, E1, England, 2006
HRS Alarms, Hackney, 2008
HRS Alarms, Paul Street, Hackney, London, EC2, England, 2008
D&J Alarms, Hackney, 2008
D&J Alarms, Andrews Road, Hackney, London, E8, England, 2008
Absolute Alarms, Hackney, 2003
Absolute Alarms, Broadway Market, Hackney, London, E8, England, 2003
Wysetech Systems, Hackney, 2010
Wysetech Systems, Mehetabel Road, Hackney, London, E9, England, 2010 • And that’s enough excellence for now.
Cobra, Hackney, 2011
Cobra, Kingsland Road, Hackney, London, E2, England, 2011 • Loving the Cobras, here’s my last one, looks like the name fell off.
Chubb Alarm, Hackney, 2006
“Chubb Alarm” burglar alarm, Hackney • I was surprised to find this is the first non-damaged/ non-rusty example of this big C box I’ve shown, though there are plenty more […]
ADT, Hackney, 2006
“ADT” burglar alarm, Hackney • Now for some monograms, ie the easy logo solution of joining initials together in various arty / random ways. Here’s a pretty famous one – […]
CSS, Hackney, 2006
“CSS” burglar alarm, Hackney • I often see these generic alarms featuring a portion of Britain. I guess it’s a standard design people apply their firm’s name to (in this […]
Thorndon Chelmsford, Hackney, 2004
“Thorndon Chelmsford” burglar alarm, Hackney • Chelmsford’s in Essex, don’t you know. You see quite a lot of their alarms around in east London. • Spotted: Broadway Market, Hackney, London, E8, […]
Countryside Security, Hackney, 2007
“Countryside Security” burglar alarm, Hackney • I wouldn’t call Hackney the countryside, but it’s a nice design. • Spotted: Mare Street, Hackney, London, E8, England, 2007 • Politics: In the Labour […]
Advanced SOS Security Group, Hackney, 2011
“Advanced SOS Security Group” burglar alarm, Hackney • Only a bit rusty, but looks quite old. • Spotted: Coronet Street, Hackney, London, N1, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Labour constituency […]
Civic Security, Hackney, 2005
“Civic Security” burglar alarm, Hackney • Similar but with no owl and a graffiti sticker here; and a very vintage one here. • Spotted: Broadway Market, Hackney, London, E8, England, 2005 • […]
Phillips Electronic Protection, Hackney, 2012
“Phillips Electronic Protection” burglar alarm, Hackney • I don’t think this is Phillips as in the mega Dutch electronics PLC… • Spotted: Shacklewell Lane, Hackney, London, E8, England, 2012 • Politics: […]
Modern Alarms, Hackney, 2006
“Modern Alarms” burglar alarm, Hackney • Always got room for another Modern alarm, this time by dint of having a sort-of-circle on it (it’s hanging downwards, too). • Spotted: Old Street, […]
Frontline Electronic Security, Hackney, 2006
“Frontline Electronic Security.biz” burglar alarm, Hackney • Yet another 3D circle, with the then-new domain of .biz. • Spotted: Shoreditch High Street, Hackney, London, E1, England, 2006 • Politics: In the Labour […]
AFA Burglar Alarm, Hackney, 2011
“AFA Burglar Alarm” burglar alarm, Hackney • An even more wonky AFA, which presumably used to be red. • Spotted: Hoxton Street, Hackney, London, N1, England, 2011 • Politics: In […]
Abel Alarm, Hackney, 2010
“Abel Alarm” burglar alarm, Hackney • Abel to be bashed in, ha ha. • Spotted: Mare Street, Hackney, London, E8, England, 2010 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Hackney […]
Security Matters, Hackney, 2010
“Security Matters” burglar alarm, Hackney • Brave attempt to force their actual name into an oval. • Spotted: Link Street, Hackney, London, E9, England, 2010 • Politics: In the Labour […]
DGS Security Systems, Hackney, 2006
“DGS Security Systems” burglar alarm, Hackney • Not much to say about this one – the word “boring” springs to mind. • Spotted: Eagle Wharf Road, Hackney, London, N1, England, […]
Sound Alarms, Hackney, 2011
“Sound Alarms” burglar alarm, Hackney • A much worse bell than yesterday’s. • Spotted: Rufus Street, Hackney, London, N1, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Hackney South and […]
Solo Security, Hackney, 2010
“Solo Security” burglar alarm, Hackney • Now moving on to music, rather than plain sound. This is presumably a different company from this one. • Spotted: Hoxton Square, Hackney, London, N1, […]
Essex Security Services Ltd, Hackney, 2006
“Essex Security Services Ltd” burglar alarm, Hackney • And another variation of the Essex waves, with an added side order of grunge (in fairness, this was on a condemned building). • […]
Protection One, Hackney, 2006
“Protection One” burglar alarm, Hackney • Looks a bit similar to the Sonitrol logo of a few days ago. • Spotted: Rivington Street, Hackney, London, E2, England, 2006 • Politics: In […]
Sonitrol, Hackney, 2010
“Sonitrol” burglar alarm, Hackney • And a newer Sonitrol, which appears to combine soundwaves with the moon on an ADT-style bellbox. • Spotted: Willow Street, Hackney, London, EC2, England, 2010 • […]
Impulse Security Systems Ltd”, Hackney, 2010
“Impulse Security Systems Ltd” burglar alarm, Hackney • Same explodey […]
Impulse Security Systems Ltd, Hackney, 2010
“Impulse Security Systems Ltd” burglar alarm, Hackney • Possibly not soundwaves, but I really need an excuse to feature the explodey Impulse logo. • Spotted: Hoxton Square, Hackney, London, N1, England, […]
North London Security Systems, Hackney, 2011
“North London Security Systems” burglar alarm, Hackney • More stickered specs, this time echoing the eye on the bell box. I’ve seen quite a few of this company’s alarms stickered […]
Krypto Security, Hackney, 2011
“Krypto Security” burglar alarm, Hackney • From the sublime to the ridiculous: yesterday the Mona Lisa’s smile, today some gurning New Romantic clown. • Spotted: Rivington Street, Hackney, London, EC2, […]
Civic Security, Hackney, 2011
“Civic Security” burglar alarm, Hackney • The fact that “Ego Thieves” plonked their graffiti sticker on a burglar alarm is probably no coincidence. • Spotted: Hoxton Street, Hackney, London, N1, England, […]
M-Tronic Alarms Ltd, Hackney: rare
“M-Tronic Alarms Ltd” burglar alarm, Hackney • A rare find, and in better condition than the only other M-Tronic I found. Apparently, these boxes were originally white. The company was started […]
London Security Central, Hackney: super-simple
"London Security Central" burglar alarm, Hackney • Wow, a super-simple design. Not a brand I've ever seen again. • Spotted: Hackney Road, Hackney, London, E2, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Hackney South and ShoreditchChoice, Hackney: essay
"Choice" burglar alarm, Hackney • Another triangle-circle combo, this time channelling the ever-popular pizza-cum-Pacman furrow. This one's more Pacman than pizza, and they've practically written an essay on it, in really tiny type. • Spotted: Charlotte Road, Hackney, London, EC2, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Hackney South and ShoreditchCAS Security, Hackney: beaky
"CAS Security" burglar alarm, Hackney • This is a very peculiar design; I can't work out whether the logo is meant to be a monogram, a stylised object of some kind, or just random. To me, it most suggests a weird beaky face. I saw loads of these in Birmingham recently, so it's not an uncommon brand. • Spotted: Shoreditch High Street, Hackney, London, E1, England, 2006 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Hackney South and ShoreditchCobra, Hackney: yum
"Cobra" burglar alarm, Hackney • It's eaten a giant bulb! • Spotted: Kingsland High Street, Hackney, London, E8, England, 2012 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Hackney North and Stoke NewingtonSecurity Surveillance Ltd, Hackney: boom-box
"Security Surveillance Ltd" burglar alarm, Hackney • Finally, a couple of camera-based techy alarms. At least I think this is meant to be a camera, it looks more like an early 1990s boom-box, or some kind of radar gun. • Spotted: Nazrul Street, Hackney, London, E2, England, 2012 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Hackney South and Shoreditch“Classic”, Hackney: boring
"Classic Alarms Security Systems" burglar alarm, Hackney • Excellent of name, boring of appearance. Though green alarms are rather rare. • Spotted: Calvert Avenue, Hackney, London, E2, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Bethnal Green and Bow“Master”, Hackney: MBA degree
"Master Freephone" burglar alarm, Hackney • A master of burglar alarms: so that's what MBA stands for. • Spotted: Cranwood Street, Hackney, London, EC1, England, 2008 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Hackney South and Shoreditch“Class Systems”, Hackney: Marxism today
"ClassSystems.co.uk" burglar alarm, Hackney • You could read this as being a classy product, but looked at another way it's almost a Marxist statement, especially in the rapidly gentrifying area of the People's Republic of Hackney where I found it - on a posh shop surrounded by not-so-posh ones. • Spotted: Broadway Market, Hackney, London, E8, England, 2012 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Hackney South and Shoreditch“ADT Security Systems”, Hackney: wonky
"ADT Security Systems" burglar alarm, Hackney • ADT is so familiar it's easy to overlook the logo, which is actually a rather wonkily-drawn three-letter monogram. Just for a change here's a variation on the famous yellow hexagon, and on its side, too. • Spotted: Shacklewell Lane, Hackney, London, E8, England, 2012 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Hackney North and Stoke Newington“CPM”, Hackney: wordplay
"CPM" burglar alarm, Hackney • Not sure if this rather minimal logo is meant to be a clever play on "post meridiem", as in "see you in the evening", but I shall give it the benefit of the doubt. • Spotted: Curtain Road, Hackney, London, EC2, England, 2010 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Hackney South and Shoreditch“Delta”, Hackney: creek
"Delta Security" burglar alarm, Hackney • According to useless Yahoo Answers, there are no river deltas in Britain, because there's not a vast enough area of flat land. But I've found one: the Wandle Delta. Admittedly it's just an forgotten little industrial creek off the Thames, but hey – we can't all be the Mississippi. In fact there are plans to smarten it up with posh housing, but I rather like how it looks now – must go and explore it before it's too late. Amazing the things you learn researching burglar alarms! • Spotted: Chatsworth Road, Hackney, London, E5, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Hackney North and Stoke Newington
Above: a great pic of the Wandle Delta by Tom Bolton – see more on Flickr here“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“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“Metro” burglar alarm, Hackney: big M
"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“Shield Security System”, Hackney: crumpled
"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
"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“Sensormatic”, Hackney: pilfering fingers
"Sensormatic" burglar alarm, Hackney • We've had a few threatening hands, and now here's a technical one. I'll give Sensormatic the benefit of the doubt, and assume that the crosshairs refer to some form of sensing equipment, rather than the ability to shoot pilferers through the hand. • Spotted: Mare Street, Hackney, London, E8, England, 2010 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Hackney South and Shoreditch“Direct Security”, Hackney: nice old arrow
"Direct Security" burglar alarm, Hackney • This is a nice old arrow logo – it doesn't even bother with "01" on the phone number. I found it on a defunct tyre shop, which was encrusted with Direct's devices – I also snapped an even older version, which I'll wheel out one day. I wonder if this Direct has any connection with the boring Direct Site Services sounder I featured a few days ago? • Spotted: Chatsworth Road, Hackney, London, E5, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Hackney North and Stoke Newington“SecureAlot”, Hackney: greetings from Spamalot
"SecureAlot" burglar alarm, Hackney • These aren't quite arrows – more like half arrows or lances, which suits a name that sounds like a comedy knight from Monty Python's Spamalot. Sir Securealot the Bonkers Burglar Alarm, perhaps – mates with Sir Robin the Not-Quite-So-Brave-as-Sir Lancelot and Sir Bedevere The Strangely Flatulent. The firm's website has lots of phone numbers but no HQ address, so maybe they do indeed hail from Camelot. • Spotted: Mehetabel Road, Hackney, London, E9, England, 2010 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Hackney South and Shoreditch“Securicor Granley”, Hackney: tupperware box
"Securicor Granley" burglar alarm, Hackney • You only see this giant tupperware cheesebox – a shape that bears no relation to any other sounder – on old Securicor and Securicor Granley boxes. They're quite rare and often pretty worn, but apart from being skew-wiff, this one is in decent condition. Some variations have the logo on a printed label affixed to the raised flat panel, but this is the most deluxe version, with the whole logo in moulded 3D type. • Spotted: Clifton Street, Hackney, London, EC2, England, 2008 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Hackney South and Shoreditch“Next Gen”, Hackney: shiny Trekkie plug
"Next Gen Security Systems" burglar alarm, Hackney • Half-way between the Secom and Ambush plugs, though with eight sides rather than six, this is another rarely-seen bell box shape that resembles a giant electrical plug. It would be quite attractive if the logo wasn't so basic, which is a waste of tasteful chrome. In its futuristicness, it can't help but conjure up Captain Picard and his chums from Star Trek: The Next Generation. In contrast, the Elstree-based firm's website has a brilliant stock photo of an old school "pantomime burglar" wearing black hat, gloves and goggles. Make it so! • Spotted: Hoxton Square, Hackney, London, N1, England, 2010 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Hackney South and Shoreditch“DDD Fire & Security”, Hackney: illuminated wedge
"DDD Fire & Security" burglar alarm, Hackney • Morphing onwards from the last few days' triangles and shields, this is a flat-bottomed wedge that lights up at night. They used to be pretty rare, hence featuring here in the "uncommon shapes" category, though I fear they are swiftly becoming popular (fear, because they're impossible to photograph well when illuminated). In purely visual terms, they look quite effective and I prefer them to the chunky faceted "jewel" shapes of the last decade or so; however when I featured one recently, it met with a certain amount of derision from the commenters. As for DDD Fire & Security, they're a large Coventry-based firm who were founded in 1968, but their website gives no clue to what the memorable triple D stands for – presumably not a bra size. I've come across various "3D" firms – one stood for "Defend, Deter, Detect" – so maybe it's a variant on that, without the unhelpful connotations of coming third. • Spotted: Hewett Street, Hackney, London, EC2, England, 2010 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Hackney South and Shoreditch“Regal Security Systems”, Hackney: missing monarch
"Regal Security Systems" burglar alarm, Hackney • Yesterday I posted a Regal sticker, and today here's an actual sounder, of the classic 1980s design that looks like a clock-radio when mounted horizontally. I've searched for this firm on the internet but turned up nothing whatsoever, so presumably they were bought out before the world wide web got popular. Which means I will never get to find out what the big fat "W" in the logo stands for – and whether it's meant to resemble a crown. (Update: if you check the comment below and here, the mystery is solved – Regal was originally Wimpey, and in 2001 sold out to ADT. Which makes it surprising I couldn't track down any info on Google, because 2001 isn't that long ago.) • Spotted: Hackney area, Hackney, London, E2, England, 2008 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Hackney South and Shoreditch“Kings”, Hackney: what about queens?
"Kings" burglar alarm, Hackney • Not just one, but many monarchs share the crown to this security firm. The name also ties into Christmas 2011's Christian (or, if you want to be pedantic, Judaeo-Christian) theme, due to its no doubt inadvertent reference to the Book of Kings – which does not return the compliment by mentioning burglar alarms. More prosaically, the owner is probably a Mr Kings – or, if he's bad at punctuation, Mr King – a surname which, like so many in the UK, originates from a medieval nickname, this time for one of kingly demeanour. It may be common on burglar alarms simply because, despite its regal pretensions, it's a common name; but it also handily illustrates the ego-puffing old saw that an Englishman's home is his castle, with each regally branded burglar alarm suggesting that the security-conscious homeowner is, in essence, a little monarch. Which is leaves a gap in the market for bell boxes aimed at socially-aspirant women, because I've never come across any labelled Queen. • Spotted: Mare Street, Hackney, London, E8, England, 2010 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Hackney South and Shoreditch“Royale”, Hackney: regal relic
"Royale Security Systems" burglar alarm, Hackney • This looks around the same age as the preceding alarms, but it's so weathered it's hard to decipher the phone number. I could cheat and pretend it has a 3-letter exchange code, but in fact it doesn't: as far as I can make out, it says "Royale Security Systems ?? Benfleet 328?8". Benfleet is in Essex, near the Canvey HQ of the charming old Pearl box I featured recently. This competitor has fared less well, but I can see it once had a classic 1950s-style logo, and I reckon the casing started out as bright blue. I've done a Google search on the firm, but unsurprisingly turned up nothing at all, so any info would be welcome. Tomorrow: the new year ushers in more royal alarms, only somewhat newer than this one. Meanwhile I'll be down in beautiful Bristol, no doubt photographing yet more wonky West Country alarms and being forced to trudge the perimeters of various loser football grounds in recompense. Happy New Year! • Spotted: Shoreditch High Street, Hackney, London, E1, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Hackney South and Shoreditch
“ITS”, Hackney: blue crucifix
"ITS" burglar alarm, Hackney • I have come across quite a few burglar alarms that, wittingly or unwittingly, refer to Christian themes – so, as we're coming up to Christmas, now seems a good time to feature them. I don't know if this ITS monogram is intended to look like a big blue crucifix, but it certainly reads as one. The family firm behind the logo emphasise trustworthiness on their website, which explains that the acronym stands for "Integrity Technology Security". It would make a good choice for churches, so if there are any vicars reading this (unlikely, I feel), take note! • Spotted: Rivington Street, Hackney, London, E2, England, 2006 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Hackney South and Shoreditch
Ex-alarm, Hackney: robot skull
Ex-burglar alarm, Hackney • This ivory plastic skeleton suggests a robotic skull, and offers slightly more clues than yesterday's anonymous backplate. Peer closely and there's a maker's mark impressed top left, which reads "Designed and manufactured in England by Texecom registered design no 2036725" (I think). An easy clue for any experts out there! • Spotted: Clifton Street, Hackney, London, EC2, England, 2008 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Hackney South and Shoreditch
“ADT”, Hackney: Cyberman piping
"ADT" burglar alarms, Hackney • I spotted these above an art gallery (Hoxton Square's full of them), and though not quite as impressive as the Design Museum's "Daisy" ADTs, it still looks a bit like a crappy art installation. To put it in art-speak, there's a poignant narrative tension in the way the lower ADT has been eternally blocked from joining its elevated companion by the Cyberman-esque piping snuggling round its head. And there's a cubist element in the repeated angles reminiscent of Paul Noble's Nobson Newtown, an immense pencil-drawn metropolis of everyday turd-folk presented in isometric projection (I'm not making this up) ... surely a contender for the Turner Prize next year. OK, that's enough spurious justification of a boring shot of two ADT burglar alarms. • Spotted: Hoxton Square, Hackney, London, N1, England, 2010 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Hackney South and Shoreditch
“Securebase”, Hackney: semi-gentrified triplets
"Securebase" burglar alarms, Hackney • Although this heritage-green property in a semi-gentrified road near Hackney's riot central looks like a shop front, from its trio of bell pushes I deduce that the neatly-aligned Securebase triplets relate to three separate properties within. QED. • Spotted: Chatsworth Road, Hackney, London, E5, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Hackney North and Stoke Newington
“Chloride Granley”, Hackney: palimpsest
"Chloride Granley" burglar alarm, Hackney • I've featured this brilliant vintage sounder before, but only really small, as part of a wider decaying tableau. If you look closely there's a lightning flash in the "O" of "Chloride", which is then repeated as the large jagged circle in the middle. It's unusual in being stencilled, and is the only one of its kind I've ever found, though unadorned Granley boxes are still fairly common. Decades ago Chloride – who I associate with car batteries – must have taken over Granley, and instead of stickering on a new logo as is the norm, they used a stencil so you can still see the old design underneath: a palimpsest, if you will. I'd be interested to know more about either firm, if any of the security pros out there can enlighten me. • Spotted: Leonard Street, Hackney, London, EC2, England, 2010 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Hackney South and Shoreditch
“ICU”, Hackney: hip heptagon
"ICU" burglar alarm, Hackney • My final vision-themed "backronym" offers up the unambiguous message "I see you". It's a nice idea, although the label could equally well be a piece of conceptual street art. Note that the sounder is the first I've posted with seven equal sides – a shape known occasionally as a septagon, but more usually as a heptagon. Or in this case, a hip Hackney heptagon. Fact: its sides all meet at an angle of 128.5714286 degrees. Thank you, Wikipedia! • Spotted: Rivington Street, Hackney, London, EC2, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Hackney South and Shoreditch
“Hawk Limited”, Hackney: tattered cypher
"Hawk Limited" burglar alarm, Hackney • This tattered old bird is the only actual hawk in the "hawkish birds" section, and the best drawing too, doubtless some random bit of clip-art. I reckon it depicts a falcon, as hawk isn't a species, but a mere generic cypher representing all birds of prey except owls. Which makes the hawk the panther of the bird world. • Spotted: Mare Street, Hackney, London, E8, England, 2010 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Hackney South and Shoreditch
“Colt”, Hackney: brutal subtext
"Colt Alarm Systems" burglar alarm, Hackney • OK, so I've already featured a Colt, but it was shrouded in pigeon netting; this one's simply blurred. The fact that the term Colt is associated with handguns as well as young male horses is probably no coincidence, which means this also falls into the rare "shooting" category. The device's brutal subtext makes a nice contrast with the girly puce paint, which was on a groovy Shoreditch boutique. • Spotted: Goldsmiths Row, Hackney, London, E2, England, 2006 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Hackney South and Shoreditch
Above: real colts“Chiswick Security”, Hackney: hackneyed device
"Chiswick Security" burglar alarm, Hackney • Another key with an initial in its handle, though much cruder than yesterday's elegant example. The zig-zag notches on its blade suggest that, like the other keys featured so far, it is for opening a pin-tumbler cylinder lock, typical of house front doors. Inspired by 4,000-year-old wooden devices from ancient Egypt, the definitive cylinder lock was patented by Linus Yale Junior in 1861 and remains little changed to this day – a design even older than this alarm. • Spotted: Clifton Street, Hackney, London, EC2, England, 2008 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Hackney South and Shoreditch
“Scorpio Security”, Hackney: sinister arthropod
"Scorpio Security" burglar alarm, Hackney • In my entry on the weird Pac-Man-esque Orion alarm, I explained how the giant hunter was killed by a scorpion and turned into a constellation by Zeus. And now we come to the unfortunate arthropod which stung him, also flung into the heavens by Zeus, where it became the constellation of Scorpius, eternally snapping at Orion's heels. Astrologically, it represents the mysterious eighth sign of the zodiac, ruled by the Greek god Pluto – aka Hades, lord of the underworld – and reputedly the most powerful star sign. Scorpios are supposed to be intense, secretive, power-loving, cunning, unforgiving, vengeful and, as the alarm probably wants to suggest, with a considerable sting in their tail. This strange logo, like a J with horns, could almost be the symbol for some obscure occult sect – thus living up to Scorpio’s sinister image. • Spotted: Hackney area, Hackney, London, England, 2008 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Hackney South and Shoreditch
Above: A nice 1825 etching of the constellation Scorpio from the Library of Congress, Washington DC.“Crime Stop”, Hackney: crime start, more like
"Crime Stop" burglar alarm, Hackney • I've already featured a close-up of this red, drippy alarm under the theme The Law, but its environment is worth showing too. Did ever a door ever look less needy of a burglar alarm, and a "Crime Stop" one at that? Either the crime has already happened, or there's nothing worth nicking, and as for the surroundings – "Crime Start" might be a more accurate name. • Spotted: Downham Road, Hackney, London, N1, England, 2006 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Hackney South and Shoreditch
“Chloride Granley”, Hackney: stencil graffiti
"Chloride Granley" burglar alarm, Hackney • Another study in London pinks and grey-blues, and a most unusual alarm. The logo Chloride Granley has been spray-stencilled, graffiti-style, onto an older Granley box, beating Banksy stylistically by some decades. Below it is some genuine modern graffiti in the form of a white arrow, setting off the alarm nicely (in the artistic, rather than the siren, sense). It's more normal to add a sticker when an alarm firm has been taken over, and this is the only stencilled effacement I've ever found; I'd be interested to know if there are any further examples around. • Spotted: Leonard Street, Hackney, London, EC2, England, 2010 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Hackney South and Shoreditch
“Honeywell Shield”, Hackney: faded colour field
"Honeywell Shield Security System" burglar alarm, Hackney • Yesterday I featured a knight, and today a shield: another very popular alarm device. There's nothing spectacularly decaying about this scene, but it's a study in faded colour; the rusty red alarm toning with the soft pink wall, set off against the flat blue-grey expanse of inscrutable window by bars of dirty white. Not for the first time when photographing burglar alarm tableaux, it makes me think of 1960s colour field paintings, or a print by Ed Ruscha. But I can't afford those, so this will do for me. • Spotted: Kingsland Road, Hackney, London, E2, England, 2004 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Hackney South and Shoreditch
“Chubb”, Hackney: the oldest brand of all
"Chubb" burglar alarm, Hackney • It's ironic that I selected this iconic blue Chubb box for its Modernist design, as it turns out to be the oldest brand name of all; and also, sadly, a blueprint for the decline of British industry at the hands of high finance over the last 40 years. The company was launched in 1804 by Charles Chubb, who started out selling ships' ironmongery, but moved into security when his brother Jeremiah invented a new type of lock. After gaining a Royal Warrant in the 1830s, the Chubb family enjoyed five generations of global growth, providing security for everything from the Crown Jewels to the Koh-i-Noor diamond to Winston Churchill's wartime papers. By the end of the 1960s the Wolverhampton-based company had swallowed up Rely-A-Bell and many other smaller rivals and was a respected bastion of British industry. According to ex-employee David Ibbs, the rot set in during the 1970s when Chubb damaged its finances by acquiring – under government urging – the failing Gross cash register business. And so, as the era of deregulation dawned, the weakened Chubb shifted from being a proud family-run manufacturer providing careers for life, to being the financial plaything of City moguls driven only by the bottom line. Starting with a misguided acquisition by Racal in 1984, Chubb demerged and remerged with other multinationals several times, "downsizing" (ie making skilled and loyal staff redundant) each time, and gradually splitting apart so that locks, safes and alarms ended up with different owners. Today, the alarms division is just a small part of American conglomerate United Technologies Corporation (UTC), while the other pieces are owned by Swedish multinationals. Chubb's last family boss, George Charles Hayter Chubb, aka the third Baron Hayter, was a highly-regarded Lords cross-bencher who tried to block Maggie Thatcher's destruction of the GLC, and once chaired the Design Council. Presumably his interest in design led to the 1970s introduction of this minimalist blue branding with its striking triangular box, known for obvious reasons as the "Delta". This powerful design has survived Chubb's many changes of ownership and lives on still, its current incarnation being a chunky-looking round-cornered Delta in posh navy plastic. In earlier times there was also a square blue metal box bearing the same logo, and I recently spotted a distressing new pentagonal variation. The example pictured here is a classic old metal Delta with faded paint and sharp corners, possibly dating from the 1980s. The (intentionally?) "chubby" initial C is, apparently, based on the front view of a mortice lock – a last poignant link to the glory days of the original Chubb brothers and their once-great British company. • Spotted: Kings Wharf, Hackney, London, N1, England, 2006 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Hackney South and Shoreditch
“Crime Stop”, Hackney: the fine art of crime
"Crime Stop" burglar alarm, Hackney • After a parade of shadowy intruders and pantomime burglars, the time has come to firmly lay down the law. Despite its simple message and drippy background, this manages to sum up the prime directive of all burglar alarms, albeit backwards: stop crime. I actually find its washed-out minimalism rather beautiful – it makes me think of stain paintings by Morris Louis or text works by Ed Ruscha. There's obviously something very, very wrong with me. • Spotted: Downham Road, Hackney, London, N1, England, 2006 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Hackney South and Shoreditch
Burglar Alarm Britain 