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Street names - words which clash on the phone

An article from The Empire, 11 January 1908, p. 8. View on Trove. See also the street etymologies project page.

Written work
Title: Street names - words which clash on the phone
Author:
Date: 11 January 1908
Publisher: The Empire

STREET NAMES.

WORDS WHICH CLASH ON THE 'PHONE.

ALTERATIONS AT FREMANTLE.

The fact that the Fremantle fire brigade were, on a recent occasion, misled by the similarity of sound in the names of two streets, induced the finance committee of the town council on Monday evening to propose a long list of alterations as follows:—

Attfield-street and Attwell-street, the latter to be Dale-street.

By-the-Sea-road to be Norman-street.

Doonan-street and Douro-road, the former to be Holdsworth-street.

Ellington-street and Ellen street, the former to be Henville-street.

Hampton-avenue to be Irvine-street.

Healy-street, and Hill-street, the former to be Taylor-street.

Hewitt-street to be Daly-street.

James-street to be Hulbert-street.

Leah-street to be Baker-street.

Lord-street to be Price-street.

Maud-street to be Beard-street.

Moore-street and Moran-street, the former to be Blinco-street.

Noel-street to be Whitton-street.

Percy-street to be Loukes-street.

Rockingham-road to be abolished, and the thoroughfare to be called Hampton-road to the boundary.

Trinity-street and Finnerty-street, the former to be Sinclair-street.

Cr. Healy said that in some instances the streets might be named after old residents, and though he did not wish to reflect upon the work of the committee, such a sweeping change required a little consideration. From whom was Ellington-street named? —The mayor H. E. Wilson.—

Cr. Healy—Would it not be better to call it Wilson-street?

Cr. Loukes pointed out that there was an Alexander-road in Fremantle and an Alexander-road in East Fremantle, and this caused a great deal of clashing in the post-office.

Cr. Davies.—What is this going to cost the owners of property? Deeds will have to be altered, and that cannot be done for nothing.

The mayor said any little expense of that kind was nothing in comparison with the danger of premises being destroyed by fire through the brigade being directed to the wrong place.

Cr. Newbold said that some years ago the name of Hampton-street was altered to Alexander-road, but it was a complete failure. He doubted if many people knew it by that name. He moved that consideration stand over until the next meeting.

Cr. Davies seconded the amendment.

Cr. Loukes said he would like the name of Percy-street to stay as it was. It suited him.

The amendment was rejected and the alterations adopted.