Who was Susan Bates?

[Gran]

Who was Susan Bates and how did she get this gigantic line of products named after her? Anyone know?:ccompute :?

[jimbo]

She had this little motel, named after her, and a penchant for blonds in showers.

sorry Gran... couldn't resist.

[donnalynn2]

She had this little motel, named after her, and a penchant for blonds in showers.

sorry Gran... couldn't resist.

:rofl:rofl:rofl:rofl:rofl:rofl:rofl:rofl:rofl:rofl :rofl

[Gran]

I hardly ever laugh out loud. Thanks. Maybe that's why there are no shower curtains in her line of products.

[grrlsmom]

I'm bored and waiting for dh to get home, so I googled her. The history of Coats and Clark comes up and doesn't tell anything about her. Another link led me to an article in the 'Home Economist' , September l928 written by Susan L. Bates, Consumer Consultant, New Uses Section, The Cotton Textiles Institute, Inc.
When I googled The CT Institute, I couldn't get a history, just stuff on law suits and strikes - maybe they were the reason people sang, "Look for the union label'? LOL
Interesting, I'm hooked now! On to 'Aunt Lydia' - what did she do beside rugs?

[jimbo]

I hardly ever laugh out loud. Thanks. Maybe that's why there are no shower curtains in her line of products.
well, she did have a line of shower curtains, but had to recall them..... something about them leaking?

[Lowrancer]

but she had that ever loyal son norman.

[dhaunae]

LOL, ya'll are bad ... and so funny ;)

[swapnae]

Well, some people think Virginia Slims was a person....

[Gran]

Update: I phoned Coats and Clarks with questions on these "historic personalities" and am waiting for the company historian to return my call.

[Redhead Deb]

Update: I phoned Coats and Clarks with questions on these "historic personalities" and am waiting for the company historian to return my call.

I'm a newbie but have been reading this forum. Just happened to pick up an old package of Susan Bates yarn needles last night and noticed this at the bottom of the card:

C.J.Bates & Son
Chester, Conn.

A quick google search and I found:

History

Founded by Carlton J. Bates (1848-1941) in 1907, the C.J. Bates Company manufactured manicure sets, crochet hooks, and knitting needles in Chester, Connecticut.

I know this is not near as funny as everyone else's post, but thought you might it interesting. Thanks for reading!

[mythunderbird]

that was nice of you to find the answer for us. i want to :welcome :welcome you to crochetville and am glad i saw this post as i was wondering also. now i wonder who was boye:lol :lol they are my favorite metal hooks but am fast getting "hooked" onto the wood ones. i am finding them much easier to work with and not as stressful on my wrists. again :welcome :welcome , come to chat now and then and see if anyone is there . would love to chat with you redhead deb:hug :hug

[Gran]

Spoke with Ms. Blaylock (sp?) at the corporate offices of Coats and Clarks today. The name "Barbara Bates" was used on the products until the 40s. In the 40s it was switched to "Susan Bates". As far as the company has been able to tell, there was no Barbara, nor Susan. Nor was there an "Aunt Lydia". They are names such as "Betty Crocker" or "Aunt Jemima" and not any one person's name. She surmised that the article written in the Home Economics Journal posted on the web, from 1928, by Susan Bates, might well have been written by someone at the company such as articles written by "Betty Crocker". So much for my hope of finding Susan's granddaughter and interviewing her.

However, the periodical, "Home Economist" lists several people with the family name of Bates. So....I'd like to think she really was.

[zagraham]

Isn't that interesting! I love historical tidbits like these. I still think there might be an article to write in what you've found out. Keep us posted.

Beth

[Redhead Deb]

I guess they thought that Susan was a more contemporary name than Barbara and it gave the company an up-to-date image. Betty Crocker's picture keeps changing to keep up with fashion, hair styles and "the times."
Thanks for sharing your research!

[Country Yarns]

The company name was CJ Bates. I read somewhere just recently that they donated all their "historical" papers to a university somewhere up there. All that stuff is probably in a dank closet in a basement now *sigh* Anyway, Susan Bates finally sold their needle/hook division to Coats & Clark, the great machine that swallows up yarn companies on a regular basis. I recall when they quit making their own thread hooks back in the very early 1990s; it was a dark day for this Bates girl! I called the company and was told that the machines were wearing out, and it was too expensive (probably said "not cost effective") to retool them. I guess when the yarn hook machines wore out they sold off to C&C

[grrlsmom]

WHAT? There really isn't a Betty Crocker? Say it ain't so! (just kidding!) I am disappointed re: Susan Bates. I thought when I found the Home Ec article it meant there was really someone behind the name.

[sunnywolfgar]

Update: I phoned Coats and Clarks with questions on these "historic personalities" and am waiting for the company historian to return my call.

Interesting! :hook Can't wait to read more ~~~~~

[Gran]

I still like to think the whole Bates family was involved in writing those articles. They do span quite a few years. But maybe they are like the Keebler elves.

[DainaJ]

I guess they thought that Susan was a more contemporary name than Barbara and it gave the company an up-to-date image. Betty Crocker's picture keeps changing to keep up with fashion, hair styles and "the times."
Thanks for sharing your research!

Hey, they could update it again and call the company "Brittany Bates", or would that be too 1990s? Maybe "Madison Bates"...
:P