Another variant was an approx 5 foot tall object Blue light at top which came on when activated by local cob shop , back in the 50's in rural areas with few telephones they were there for people to contact the cops. We had one in the Dale where I lived ,you opened a door and it contacted you with denton police front desk . This box actually caused my first criminal act , at the age of 6 or 7 me and a mate decided it was dull so we "borrowed " some paint from my Dads store and set about painting the box red ,green and yellow , we even had a chair to reach a wall to stand on to reach the top, standing back to admire our work we then scarpered to avoid detection , some hope ,we had more paint on us than the box did. Anyway the long arm of the law caught up with me in the form of a old sqt who had spoken to my Dad (who had already smacked my idiot a few times and told me never to do anything like that again ) (sure he was almost pissing himself as well ?? ) and waited in our front room, any way a severe talking to ensued ,he scared the shit out of me but when he was leaving wasn't that a smile that passed between dad and him ??? maybe it was just the large scotch he'd been given ,who knew , until that was many years later and My dear old Dad opened up . He said the copper and him had nearly ***** themselves laughing when they'd surveyed the scene of my crime but seeing as i'd been smacked that and a talk wouldbe it . Not being cut out for criminal painting I never repeated the act , my lord , honest !!