1891: Match at the Crown Baths, Kennington Oval

Engraving depicting a scene of the varsity game Oxford vs Cambridge that took place October 1891 at the Crown Baths, Kennington Oval.
The following is an extract from the Cambridge Review from October 15, 1891: “The Inter-Varsity water polo match, is fixed for next Friday, at the Crown Baths, Kennington Oval, at 7.20pm. Owing to the want of a covered swimming bath at Cambridge, Water Polo can only be played at the sheds, and at the close of a bad season like the present men are necessarily very much out of practice. Our team will feel the loss of Muttlebury, who is unable to play, and our opponents have a strong team”.

Out of necessity the varsity match had to be held in London due to the lack of a covered pool in Cambridge which often cut matches against other teams, such as the Otters, due to the coldness of the water.

Source: Personal collection, http://www.cuswpc.org/