Following the publication of my letter in your paper last week, progress has been made with the search for the mystery cine camera.

Ely Standard: The crowd, in the background, taken from the safety boat which was following the replica 1829 gigs.The crowd, in the background, taken from the safety boat which was following the replica 1829 gigs. (Image: Archant)

Stuart Green has found a photo which shows a small crowd of spectators on the Ely bank of the river.

A second photo shows the same crowd taken from the safety boat which was following the replica 1829 gigs.

These were both taken on March 8, 2008, during the Merivale Bicentennial Boat Race.

Do you recognise anyone in the first photo? Jeremy Friend-Smith is there, well wrapped up!

I’m interested in finding out who the person operating the large cine camera is, standing on the extreme right of the photo.

The reason:

Charles Merivale was Dean of Ely from 1869-1893 and was connected by marriage to the Gibbs family of Tyntesfield.

This property, near Bristol, is now owned by the National Trust and will shortly house an exhibition of Gibbs’ family history.

As part of this I have been asked to prepare a short film illustrating Dean Merivale’s connection with Ely and rowing.

It would be really good if a small piece of cine footage could be included in the presentation, showing those gigs here on our river.

JACK WATERFALL

Via e-mail