It is interesting that over this decade there was almost more curiosity in the contemporary press about the boats that the crews were going to use than the composition of the crews themselves.

There had been a considerable growth of recreational boat building particularly in the Tyne area over the previous years and now some of these boat-builders had moved their attention to the Thames. Indeed some of them set up their main yards in the London area.

In 1857 the Oxford President Arthur Lonsdale (Heywood Lonsdale) ordered a new boat from Matt Taylor at his own expense. This year was the first one in which Edmond Warre rowed for Oxford and it is reliably held that he was so impressed with the characteristics of this boat that when he began to experiment with boat design much later in the century, his aim was to reproduce the Matt Taylor 1857 boat.

Cambridge also rowed in a new boat, built by Salter of Wandsworth, but the design of this boat does not seem to have created so much interest.

Lonsdale had two good old Blues from the previous year available, John Thorley, who was to become President in the following year, and Philip Gurdon.

Training went well and after they arrived at Putney they undertook a full course trial, admittedly with a good tide, which completed the championship course in 19 minutes 50 seconds, which stood as the record until after sliding seats were first used 16 years later.

This was the first of two years in which Robert Lewis-Lloyd was to be Cambridge President, but the only other Blue that he had available was Herbert Snow, the nephew of William Snow who had stroked the first Cambridge boat in 1829. Cambridge were not regarded as a good crew and the money was all on Oxford before the race.

Oxford won the toss and chose Middlesex. It was a neap tide and as usual, with the crush of steamers, the race started very late, losing the best of a modest tide.

As had been anticipated, Oxford went away fast off the start and rowed right away from their rivals, converting the event into a procession from the first minute, for Cambridge never came back into contention.

In theory it might have been a reasonably fast race, but the tide had already turned by the time that Oxford had reached Chiswick Eyot and in consequence with no pressure on them from the Light Blues, they completed the course in 22 minutes 50 seconds, winning by 32 seconds.