Hopping (1889): exhibitions of Dissolving Views.

Post date: Aug 28, 2012 4:11:5 PM

Extract from parish magazine of September 1889:

Mr. E.P. Leach has, for the 30th consecutive year, come amongst us as Missionary to the Hop-pickers. Capt. Eglington, an officer in the Church army, is also working in the Parish, especially amongst the Pickers employed on the Cannon Court Farm. Mr. R.C. Colby has again been kind enough (by permission of the Messrs. Fremlin) to give exhibitions of Dissolving Views to the Hop-pickers. At the Mills the exhibition consisted of "Mothers Last Words" and at the Manor Farm, of "Jessica's Prayer" etc, beautifully illustrated. About 400 were present, and showed the greatest interest in the slides and explanation.

Dissolving Views : By the use of a lantern with two or more lenses, or a pair of lanterns, two or more slides could be projected in such a way as to dissolve seamlessly from one picture into another, producing effects such as day into night or the changing seasons.