A rare example of the signature of the inventor of lawn tennis Major Walter Clopton Wingfield, in the form of a signed Bank of England Western Branch cheque dated 15th March 1899, payable to the a/c of Messrs Paget & Edward at the London & Westminster Bank, for the sum of fifteen hundred and fifty four pounds fifteen shillings and six pence Major Walter Clopton Wingfield (1833-1912) was the inventor of lawn tennis in 1874 which he also called Sphairistikè after the Greek for ''ball games''. He obtained a patent and published the first book of the game ''The Major's Game of Lawn Tennis'' in February 1874. His honours include the Royal Body Guard and Captain, First Dragoon Guards. He was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1997.