Pond Life

There's a whole world in a drop of water - take a closer look through a microscope.

In the pond, many things are stirring - freshwater earthworms, and tiny aquatic creatures known as infusoria and daphnia. This remarkable amateur scientific documentary investigates microbes in a drop of pond water as seen through a microscope. The film was made by using a binocular eyepiece developed specifically for the purpose, and won many awards, including a Bronze Plaque at Budapest in 1934.

Filmmaker George Higginson was a highly skilled amateur whose work includes travelogues and the recording of activities at Manchester School of Art, where he was a mature student. He also produced award winning scientific documentaries, including 'Pond Life'. Originally trained as a cotton engineer, he served in the army in World War One, and, after art school training, went on to teach drawing and painting at Bolton School for Boys.