Whorter-bout this then?

Lochee residents settle debate over street signs

A RO G U E st r e et s i g n sparked an online debate about the correct name for a well known Lochee road.

Two different signs mark the street as either “Whorterbank” or “Whorter Bank”, creating a discussion as to whether or not there is a space to make two words.

Myles McCallum noticed the discrepancy and decided to pose the question online.

Myles said: “I’m just wondering what way people in Lochee think it should be spelled. I just thought it was funny.

“It’s always been one word to me. That’s what the group consensus on the page was.

“It was just a laugh.”

Former Dundee councillor Norma McGovern said she is definitely a “Whorterbank” person.

Norma said: “I was born and brought up in Lochee. Lochee people have always had their own pronunciation.

“Two that come to mind are – Perrie Street, pronounced ‘Peery Street’ and Tullideph, invariably called ‘Tullidelph’.

“My grandparents lived at top of Balgay Street but was called ‘Braeheid’. Is it Dryburgh or ‘Drehburra’, Balgay Hill – ‘the hullie’.”

Norma said: “My granny and other Lochee grannies had different words for everyday things. Clock was ‘the knock’, toilet was ‘the wattery’. My mum would send me for ‘half a luppie o’ tatties’ – three and a half pounds.”

“This is great – anything for a bit of fun in these difficult times.”

And Councillor Charlie Malone said: “I’ve always known it as one word and I’ve lived in Lochee since I was born. It used to be known in the old days as Whatterbank.”

Jayne Kelly from Save The High Street Lochee said: “It’s always been one word.

“I think it was just an error on one of the posts. It’s the same as Hilltown, it’s all one word. It’s always been Whorterbank for as long as it’s existed and it’s Quarryside in Dryburgh, not Quarry Side.”