MESSRS NESTLE AND LEVER BROTHERS, LIMITED, gave an excellent exhibition of animated photographs, consisting of upwards of fifty subjects, to the members of the Oxford and Cambridge crews at " Endsleigh," Putney, on Wednesday. Mr H. Spencer Clarke, who personally superintended the arrangements, describes his experiences as follows: —To be shut up in a good-sized drawing-room with about forty University students bent on having a real good time at anybody's expense is not the most comfortable experience unless you are prepared to join in the fun. As soon as the stand upon which the apparatus was to be fixed was placed in position, it was suddenly utilised for the purpose of a game of leapfrog. Unfortunately, the light was not good, otherwise this would have made an interesting picture in in itself. The next item of an impromptu programme was a weight-lifting competition with two 20ft. gas cylinders as dumb-bells, which were afterwards used as lndian clubs. This was greatly enjoyed, especially when the probability of the gas exploding was mentioned, and the consequent disappointment that would be given to thousands of would-be spectators of an exciting event due to-day should such a thing occur. By the time, however, that a gas chandelier had come to grief, to say nothing of a few chairs, tables, and expensive ornaments, things settled down a little, and the entertainment commenced, and was thoroughly enjoyed and fully appreciated. Mr Clarke has succeeded in securing a capital position from which to take animated pictures of the great race, he having been invited by the Cambridge crew to occupy a place in their launch, which will follow the boats. Some excellent photographs should be the result.
The Era, Saturday 26 March 1898, p. 18.
