Laurie Pignon - Tennis: A large unique personal collection of members badges, press passes and VIP passes, 1960s and 2000s (quantity).Laurie Pignon was a larger than life Sports Writer. Laurie was born in Horsham in 1918, just as his career was taking off in 1938 he was taken as a Prisoner of War in Dunkirk. He spent five years in forced labour and narrowly avoided execution. On return Laurie began writing for The Daily Sketch and began covering all sports including Tennis. When the Sketch was taken over by The Daily Mail in 1971 he became the man for tennis stories. His career lasted until 65 when he retired in 1983. He made a return in 1989 & 1991. He was the first journalist to be made a Honorary Member of The All England Tennis Club, Wimbledon. He lived with his wife Melvyn Hickey (England women's hockey captain) in Sunbury until his death in 2012 at the age of 93.