{"id":54,"date":"2017-06-16T14:59:35","date_gmt":"2017-06-16T04:59:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/coffscoastheritage.wordpress.com\/?p=54"},"modified":"2017-06-16T14:59:35","modified_gmt":"2017-06-16T04:59:35","slug":"when-did-coffs-drop-its-apostrophe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.coffscoastheritage.info\/2017\/06\/when-did-coffs-drop-its-apostrophe\/","title":{"rendered":"When did Coffs drop its apostrophe?"},"content":{"rendered":"

The name Coffs Harbour has passed through a few permutations since the location was acknowledged in 1847. Originally named after John Korff, the location’s name was changed to Coff’s Harbor by surveyors in 1861. But the apostrophe lingered, and in response to a recent enquiry, the Library-Museum team at Coffs Harbour City Council<\/a> looked into the transition.
\nThe quintessential barometer of small-town life, the daily newspaper, was a leader in this transition. The Coff’s Harbour and Dorrigo Advocate<\/a>\u00a0<\/em>commenced printing in 1907 and dropped the apostrophe from the text of the newspaper in 1914. The abbreviation \u201cCoffs\u201d, used in article headings and elsewhere, didn\u2019t look right when written as \u201cCoff\u2019s\u201d.
\nThe Guide Book to Coffs Harbor and District<\/em>,\u00a0published by the Chamber of Commerce in 1926, uses the apostrophe throughout except, ironically, in its title:
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\"CoffsBooklet1926\"
Read it here<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>
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\"Advocate1Aug1930\"
“Next issue Sept. 16. Office burnt down”<\/figcaption><\/figure>
\nA fire at the\u00a0Advocate\u2019s<\/em>\u00a0premises on 3 August, 1930<\/a> resulted in a new printing press and a new masthead. The masthead changed from \u201cCoff\u2019s Harbour\u201d to \u201cCoffs Harbour\u201d on 16 September, 1930<\/a>.
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\"Advocate14Sept1930\"
“Owing to office being burnt down, the previous issue was August 1, 1930.”<\/figcaption><\/figure>
\nIn 1950, in response to a letter<\/a> from a member of the public\u00a0How is Coffs Harbour spelled?\u00a0<\/em>the editor wrote
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\"SpellingCoffsHarbour21April1950p2\"
Excerpt from CORRECT SPELLING OF COFFS HARBOUR (1950, April 21). Coffs Harbour Advocate (NSW : 1907 – 1942; 1946 – 1954)<\/i>, p. 2. http:\/\/nla.gov.au\/nla.news-article187770277<\/figcaption><\/figure>
\nThe New South Wales Government Gazette of 17 May, 1968<\/a> announced that the Geographical Names Board had dropped the apostrophe from \u201cCoffs Harbour\u201d from both the town name and the harbour name. \u00a0However some Government Gazette notices continued using \u201cCoff\u2019s Harbour\u201d until 1972.
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\"NamesBoard\"
From Coff’s to Coffs<\/figcaption><\/figure>
\nOf particular note is the fact that Coffs Harbour Shire Council notices published in the Government Gazette continued to use \u201cCoff\u2019s Harbour\u201d until 1972.
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