Walt Biddle oral history interview transcript
Creation: 1994Abstract
Walt Biddle (1925-1995) was a gardener in the household of Louise du Pont Crowninshield (1877-1958) and Francis B. Crowninshield (1869-1950) at Eleutherian Mills in Greenville, Delaware. In his oral history interview transcript, Biddle describes the Crowninshields and life at Eleutherian Mills in the 1940s and 1950s.
Dates
- Creation: 1994
Creator
- Biddle, Walt (Walter Arthur), 1925-1995 (Interviewee, Person)
- Hughes, Debra (staff) (Interviewer, Person)
- Howard, Robert, 1943-2012 (staff) (Interviewer, Person)
Extent
1 item(s)
Biographical Note
Walt Biddle (1925-1995) was a gardener in the household of Louise du Pont Crowninshield (1877-1958) and Francis B. Crowninshield (1869-1950) at Eleutherian Mills in Greenville, Delaware. The Crowninshields occupied Eleutherian Mills, the oldest of the du Pont mansions, in 1922 and resided there for several months every spring and fall. When the estate became part of the Hagley Museum and Library after Louise Crowninshield's death in 1958, Biddle joined the Hagley staff. He retired on June 30, 1985.
Scope and Contents
Walt Biddle's (1925-1995) oral history interview covers his years of employment as a gardener with Louise du Pont Crowninshield (1877-1958) and Francis B. Crowninshield (1869-1950) from the 1940s through the 1950s at Eleutherian Mills in Greenville, Delaware. His recollections include information about the Corwninshields' personalities, social activities, and interests; the domestic staff and their specific duties; and the domestic furnishings. His reminiscences provide a glimpse of the lifestyle of a wealthy American couple as well as the duties of their household staff. Biddle was interviewed by Debra Hughes, Curator of Collections & Exhibits, and Robert A. Howard, Curator of Industry & Technology, on October 4, 1994.
Access Restrictions
No restrictions on access; this collection is open for research.
Language of Materials
English
Subjects
Related Names
Subject
- Crowninshield, Louise du Pont, 1877-1958 (Person)
- Eleutherian Mills (Greenville, Del. : Estate) (Organization)
- Du Pont family (Family)
- Crowninshield, Francis Boardman, 1869-1950 (Person)
Finding Aid & Administrative Information
- Title:
- Walt Biddle oral history interview transcript
- Description rules:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description:
- English
- Script of description:
- Latin
Revision Statements
- 2021: Ashley Williams
Repository Details
Repository Details
Part of the Manuscripts and Archives Repository
