Oral History Interview Wilma Moberly & Charles Moberly

Partial Transcript: Today is April 9th, 1985. My name is Teka Ward. I'm interviewing Wilma and Charles Moberly. We are at 710 West Main Street, Louisville, Kentucky. Our topic is Lou Tate and the Little Loomhouse.

Segment Synopsis: Ward introduces the interview by giving the date, her name, her interviewees' names (Wilma and Charles Moberly), their location, and the topic.

Keywords: Charles Moberly; Lou Tate; Lou Tate Bousman; Louisa Tate Bousman; The Little Loomhouse; Wilma Moberly

Subjects: Kentucky--History; Louisville (Ky.)--History; Weaving

Partial Transcript: As we begin, I would like you all to tell me something about each of you.

Segment Synopsis: Mr. Moberly explains he and Mrs. Moberly's careers and then tells about the first time he met Lou Tate. They would go out to the Little Loomhouse annually for the Derby Open House.

Keywords: Daniel Boone; Derby open house; Kentucky Derby; Lancaster, Kentucky; Lancaster, Ky; Lou Tate; Lou Tate Bousman; Louisa Tate Bousman; Open houses; The Little Loomhouse; University of Louisville; UofL

Subjects: Antiques; Bears; Children; Coverlets; Handlooms; Kentucky--History; Looms; Louisville (Ky.)--History; Petroleum; Spinning-wheel; Textiles; Universities and colleges; Weaving

Partial Transcript: There are many things, and so many things can come to your mind, but the things that stand out was Lou was unselfish in many ways.

Segment Synopsis: Mr. Moberly tells a story about Lou Tate asking he and his wife to wash some of her coverlets for a display which he uses to represent the way that Lou Tate was unselfish about her belongings. He also describes Lou Tate's love for photographs. Mr. Moberly also talks about how much Lou Tate loved photographs, or pictures, and how she would always have a photographer present at events to document.

Keywords: Lou Tate; Lou Tate Bousman; Lou Tate Foundation Incorporated; Louisa Tate Bousman; Open houses; The Little Loomhouse; Top House

Subjects: Coverlets; Foundations; Kentucky--History; Louisville (Ky.)--History; Photographers; Photographs; Pictures; Weaving

Partial Transcript: I never had but one meal that Lou prepared.

Segment Synopsis: Mr. Moberly tells about the one meal he ever had made by Lou Tate -- he and Mrs. Moberly were invited to a chili supper at the Loomhouse one time.

Keywords: Chili suppers; Esta; Loom tables; Lou Tate; Lou Tate Bousman; Louisa Tate Bousman; Potlucks; The Little Loomhouse

Subjects: Kentucky--History; Looms; Louisville (Ky.)--History; Tables; Weaving

Partial Transcript: One thing that I regret that Lou didn't do...that she didn't have more of her printed material...

Segment Synopsis: Mr. Moberly regrets that Lou Tate did not publish her printed materials more widely. He tells a story about having some of her printed items at a show in Michigan and being approached by a woman from California who was a fan of Lou Tate's. He also talks about how he did not know that Lou Tate had so much formal education until after she passed away. He calls Lou Tate a "walking history book."

Keywords: California; Educational degrees; Lou Tate; Lou Tate Bousman; Louisa Tate Bousman; Michigan; Tennessee; Textile instruments; Textile tools; The Little Loomhouse

Subjects: Code switching (Linguistics); Degrees, Academic; Education; Kentucky--History; Louisville (Ky.)--History; Publications; Spinning-wheel; Textiles; Weaving

Partial Transcript: I guess the cutest thing I can remember of Lou is when she would tell you something and laugh and hit both hands on her knees.

Segment Synopsis: Mr. Moberly recalls how Lou Tate would laugh when telling stories, specifically stories about her pink lemonade, or pink punch. He also talks about how he wishes that he had more time with Lou Tate in her later years because there was so much more to know about her that she never shared.

Keywords: Lou Tate; Lou Tate Bousman; Louisa Tate Bousman; Pink lemonade; Pink punch; The Little Loomhouse

Subjects: Kentucky--History; Lemonade; Louisville (Ky.)--History; Weaving

Partial Transcript: I'm Wilma Moberly, from Louisville, Kentucky. I grew up in Louisville.

Segment Synopsis: Mrs. Moberly introduces herself and tells a little about her personal background and how she became acquainted with Lou Tate. She talks specifically about going to Lou Tate's Derby open houses. She also talks about helping Lou Tate get a spinning bee organized at the Little Loomhouse, which inspired her to learn more about spinning and spinning wheels.

Keywords: Bledsoe, Kentucky; Bledsoe, Ky; Brother Kim Malloy; Derby open house; Indianapolis, IN; Indianapolis, Indiana; Kentucky Derby; Lafayette, IN; Lafayette, Indiana; Lou Tate; Lou Tate Bousman; Louisa Tate Bousman; Open houses; Saint Meinrad Archabbey; Saint Meinrad's; Sarah Bailey; Saxony wheel; Spinning bees; Spinning lessons; St. Meinrad Archabbey; St. Meinrad's; Textile tools; The Little Loomhouse; Vegatable dyeing; Walking wheels; Weaving lessons

Subjects: American Revolution Bicentennial, 1976; Antique dealers; Antiques; Dye plants; Dyes and dyeing; Kentucky--History; Louisville (Ky.)--History; Spinning; Spinning-wheel; Textiles; Weaving

Partial Transcript: My appreciation for Lou Tate is very, very deep. I owe a lot to her.

Segment Synopsis: Mrs. Moberly describes the appreciation she has for Lou Tate and expresses her wishes that she had even a fraction of the knowledge of weaving that Lou Tate had. She tells a story of Lou Tate asking her to present a program in her place at Hanover College, which illustrated Lou Tate's relaxed manner of sharing her collection of coverlets and drafts with others.

Keywords: Coverlet drafts; Hanover College; Lou Tate; Lou Tate Bousman; Louisa Tate Bousman; The Little Loomhouse

Subjects: Coverlets; Coverlets--Private collections; Kentucky--History; Louisville (Ky.)--History; Spinning; Universities and colleges; Weaving; Woolen and worsted drawing

Partial Transcript: What are textile tools?

Segment Synopsis: Mrs. Moberly names some of the instruments that would be considered textile tools and then describes what some of them are used for.

Keywords: Bobbins; Hackles; Hanks; Knitty Knotties; Knitty Knotty; Lou Tate; Lou Tate Bousman; Louisa Tate Bousman; Niddy Noddies; Niddy Noddy; Squirrel cage swifts; Strikers; Textile tools; The Little Loomhouse; Umbrella swifts; Warping frames; Warping paddles; Wheel fingers; Yarn winders

Subjects: Antiques; Collectors and collecting; Cotton gins and ginning; Kentucky--History; Looms; Louisville (Ky.)--History; Textiles; Weaving; Yarn

Partial Transcript: I think everyone thinks of Lou as weaving, but Wilma and I talked with her many times, and she told us so much about spinning and the things that went with it.

Segment Synopsis: Mr. Moberly talks about Lou Tate's knowledge of spinning and textile tools. He also talks about Lou Tate's impressive collection of weaving drafts. Mr. Moberly talks about the tension devices on spinning wheels and how you can tell where a wheel came from based on the tension devices or knobs. Mrs. Moberly explains what a tension device is.

Keywords: Amos Miner; Antiques shows; Drafts; Flax wheels; Great wheel; Knobs; Lou Tate; Lou Tate Bousman; Louisa Tate Bousman; Michigan; Miner's head; Saxony wheels; Shakers; Spinning bees; Tension devices; Textile tools; The Little Loomhouse; Walking wheels; Weaving drafts; Wool weels

Subjects: Antiques; Coverlets; Coverlets--Private collections; Flax; Kentucky--History; Louisville (Ky.)--History; Spindles (Textile machinery); Spinning; Spinning-wheel; Textiles; Weaving; Wool; Woolen and worsted drawing

Partial Transcript: Lou did tell me, in little bits and pieces, about traveling on muleback down into Kentucky and into Tennessee...

Segment Synopsis: Mrs. Moberly talks about Lou Tate's travels in Kentucky and Tennessee to collect coverlet drafts from families. She and Mr. Moberly talk about Lou's love for overshot coverlets -- she preferred those to jacquards.

Keywords: Coverlet drafts; Horseback; Jacquard coverlets; Jacquard looms; Jacquards; Lou Tate; Lou Tate Bousman; Louisa Tate Bousman; Muleback; Overshot coverlets; Punched cards; Tennessee; The Little Loomhouse

Subjects: Coverlets; Coverlets--Private collections; IBM computers; Jacquard weaving; Kentucky--History; Looms; Louisville (Ky.)--History; Mules; Travel with horses; Weaving; Weaving--patterns; Woolen and worsted drawing

Partial Transcript: You all took her to the library...

Segment Synopsis: Mrs. Moberly describes Lou Tate's interest in all sorts of subjects when it came to reading library books. Mr. and Mrs. Moberly would often take Lou to the library or return books for her. Mrs. Moberly also recalls a book of coverlets that Lou Tate gave to her as a gift.

Keywords: Coverlet Society of America; Lou Tate; Lou Tate Bousman; Louisa Tate Bousman; The Little Loomhouse

Subjects: Books; Coverlets; Kentucky--History; Libraries; Library; Louisville (Ky.)--History; Weaving

Partial Transcript: You were on the founding board of directors. I believe both of you were at the meeting...

Segment Synopsis: Mr. and Mrs. Moberly describe the organizational meeting for the Lou Tate Foundation Incorporated. Lou Tate's will was read at this meeting, and Mrs. Moberly explains some of the provisions of the will. Mr. Moberly was on the founding board of directors for the foundation for a short time. Mr. and Mrs. Moberly both close with thoughts on how important the Little Loomhouse and Lou Tate's legacy are.

Keywords: Earle B. Fowler; Founding board of directors; Jefferson County; Kentucky Weavers; Lou Tate; Lou Tate Bousman; Lou Tate Foundation Incorporated; Louisa Tate Bousman; Reconstruction; The Little Loomhouse; U.S. Department of the Interior; University of Louisville; UofL

Subjects: Boards of directors; Kentucky--History; Louisville (Ky.)--History; Renovation (Architecture); Universities and colleges; Weaving; Wills