Christopher Hanson-Abbott, the pioneer who brought reversing alarms to Britain and co-developed lifesaving broadband alarm technology, has died at the age of 92. His partner confirmed his death.
Early life and career
Born in Alexandria, Egypt, Hanson-Abbott was the son of Clifford Hanson-Abbott, an RAF officer, and Edna (née Johnson), a keen golfer. During the second world war, his family moved frequently between RAF stations across Britain. Fascinated by aviation, he developed a lifelong love of aircraft and could identify virtually every plane flying overhead.
Educated at Haileybury in Hertfordshire and later at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, he was commissioned into the Royal Artillery before becoming a shipbroker at the Baltic Exchange. His career took him to Hong Kong and Japan, where he first encountered reversing alarms, then unknown in Britain.
Pioneering vehicle safety
In 1976, Hanson-Abbott founded Brigade Electronics and became the first person to introduce reversing alarms commercially to the UK. Later, working with Japanese colleague Masato Yamashita, he helped pioneer multifrequency broadband sound in reversing alarms. Unlike traditional alarms, the patented technology allowed people to instantly identify the direction of danger while reducing noise pollution. The technology was subsequently used in vehicle safety systems, tunnels, and emergency evacuation environments. Hanson-Abbott often said he worked in “the business of saving lives”, and he genuinely did.
Recognition and legacy
For his contribution to road and workplace safety, he was appointed OBE in 2014. Brigade Electronics grew into an international company, recognised with both the Queen’s Award for Enterprise (2019) and the King’s Award for Enterprise (2024).
Beyond business, Hanson-Abbott was passionate about music. Living in south-east London, he founded the Vivamus choir and served as a director of Blackheath Conservatoire of Music and the Arts, and later (2012-17) of Quiet Mark, an organisation whose mission to reduce unnecessary noise strongly reflected his own values. A familiar figure in Greenwich, he was known for his generosity and support of local people and organisations.
Family
Hanson-Abbott was married and divorced three times. He is survived by four children—Adrian, Philip, Nicola, and Julia—from his first marriage to Caroline Squire; a daughter, Charlotte, from his second marriage to Fiona Todd; eight grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and his partner of 23 years.
