All England Croquet Club: Championship Meeting
| Area | Wimbledon |
|---|---|
| Copyright 1 | J Kenrick |
| Picture Reference | Wim_Sport_2-1 |
| Original Format | Photo |
| Notes / History | The All England Croquet Club was founded on Worple Road. Wimbledon in 1868 and functioned as a private sports club. During the early 1870s Major Walter Clopton Wingate invented a game called “sphairistike”, the forerunner of lawn tennis. The game proved instantly popular and many wealthy households added a tennis lawn to their property. The All England Club added tennis to its annual programme and the first annual tennis championship was held in 1877. Even today, the championship rules have changed little. |
