Spelling error dilemma raises ire

A decision to change the spelling of a street name in Spencer Park has residents up in arms and claiming they will collectively waste hundreds of hours notifying people of the new name.

Residents of Wansborough Street received a notice on Tuesday telling them the street name would be dropping an “O” and changing to “Wansbrough”, after revelations it had been spelt incorrectly by a government clerk in 1975.

The street is named after Arthur Wansbrough, the Labor Member for Albany from 1924 to 1936.

The name change to reflect the correct spelling of Mr Wansbrough’s name comes after a nine-year battle by one of his descendents, Kevin Wansbrough, who described himself as a “distant cousin” of Arthur.

“I think to honour his memory and his commitment to Albany he deserves to have his name spelt correctly on a street sign,” Mr Wansbrough, 70, said.

Local English teacher and resident Kate Valleri said residents now faced hundreds of man hours notifying contacts of the change.

“There are hundreds of residents who now have to ring countless government agencies, private agencies (and) personal contacts to change an “O” in the spelling of their street name,” she said.

A letter sent to residents advised they should notify Australia Post, Western Power, Telstra, the Water Corporation, Electoral Commission, Alinta Gas, the local police, St John Ambulance, and more.

“That’s not even including personal contacts who may want to send you a birthday card,” Ms Valleri said.

“It’s overwhelming the amount of work we’re going to have to do to appease one person’s pedantic obsession with spelling.”

Other residents questioned why the change had gone ahead despite a survey by Albany City Council two years ago finding most residents did not support the switch to the correct spelling.

“I don’t think it’s necessary, especially over a (single) letter,” pensioner Lillian Smith, 95, said.

Ms Smith, who has lived in the street for the past 25 years, said the change would be a “waste of effort”.

Marg Feldman, a 30-year resident of the misnamed street, and her neighbour Ted Bradshaw agreed.

City of Albany Mayor Dennis Wellington said the council had recommended to the Geographic Names Committee not to make the change, but they went ahead with it anyway.

However, the letter from Landgate claimed the City sent an email advising it would support any decision to change the name.

“I would have thought it’s been there for such a long time it probably wouldn’t have been the greatest thing to do, but it has been done,” Mr Wellington said.

Mr Wansbrough said the inconvenience to residents would only be minimal and short term.

“I would say to the people who are not happy, ‘too bloody bad’. History needed to be corrected – it was an error and it needs to be corrected,” he said.