London’s Screen Archives enables Londoners see their past come alive on film. Managed by Film London, we are a unique network of historic film collections that cares for, collects and screens heritage film across the city. Together we preserve London’s rich film heritage from feature films to home movies, public information films, newsreels, and records of the capital’s many different industries.
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Motorists Make Merry
Marvel at the daring stunts performed by motorcyclists at their grand gymkhana in Egham in 1929.
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Overview
A record of the ‘grand gymkhana’ held by the London Motor Club in Egham, showing a series of stunts performed by members. The first riders are genuinely impressive, a man and woman who perform a series of stunts. First, they ride with no hands, then standing, then with her on his shoulders and finally back-to-back. They’re followed by waterskiing on wheels: men perch precariously on wooden boards dragged at some speed by motorbikes. There are many spills.
Gymkhanas have been described as ‘light-hearted events designed to test members riding and other physical skills’ and were commonly held by motorcycling clubs, of which there were more than 50 in the south-east region in 1932. Motorcyclists drive under an arch, using a stick to tip a bucket of water that sits above their heads – the idea is they go so fast they don’t get wet. Most fail, especially the final group of eight men crammed aboard a single bike and sidecar, who are drenched by onlookers to general hilarity.
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