Sir William Hart Dyke, 7th Baronet

Sir William Hart Dyke, 7th Baronet PC, DL, JP (7 August 1837 – 3 July 1931) was an English Conservative politician and tennis pioneer.

Background and education The second son of Sir Percival Hart Dyke, 6th Baronet and Elizabeth Wells, Hart Dyke was educated at Windlesham House School, Harrow School and Christ Church, Oxford. He graduated M.A. in 1864. He was described as "one of the best amateur rackets players of his day". In 1862, won the Rackets World Championships from a professional player (Francis Erwood) at the Prince's Club, which was the former headquarters of rackets. In 1873 he played lawn tennis in a significant early match with John Moyer Heathcote and Julian Marshall at his home of Lullingstone Castle. In 1875 with Heathcote he was a member of the Marylebone Cricket Club committee that framed the original set of rules for tennis. The elder Lady Hart Dyke survived her husband by only a month and died in August 1931.