W. Heath Robinson – part 8

William Heath Robinson (1872 – 1944) was an English illustrator and cartoonist, best known for his drawings of complicated machines for achieving simple objectives. “Heath Robinson Contraption” is a phrase that entered the language during WW1 in Britain, and later in the United States.

William wrote and illustrated three highly successful children’s books (The Adventures of Uncle Lubin 1902, Bill the Minder 1912, Peter Quip in Search of a Friend 1933) as well as illustrating numerous others.

In the run up to WW1, Robinson became known for a series of drawings in magazines such as The Sketch and The Tatler, many of which I will be featuring in this comprehensive look at his work.

This is part 8 of a 20 – part series on the works of W. Heath Robinson

1912 Bill the Minder (continued from part 7 of this series):

The Doctor

Far Sooner Have the Mumps

The Puff Baker

Treated with Delicious Jalaps

The Lord Mayor Held a Long Council

As Some Patients Prepared his Dose

The Very Sparrows Grew Thin

Bowing Politely to the Pillar Boxes

The Church Steeple Had Been Removed

Standing Alone Upon the Walls

Dangling by His Legs

The Respectable Gentleman

The Sicilian Char-Woman

I Took Leave of my Sorrowing Father

Hardly Disguising His Efforts to Ignore Me

Basil Herbert Develops a Chilblain

They Were Compelled to Send for a Physician

The Improvement was Maintained

Discovered a Clove Kernel

I Fell on to the Parsnip

They All Once More Started...

…On their Adventurous Journey

And Left Him to Have His Cry Out

The Whole Camp Was Fast Asleep

The Real Soldier 
pen and ink and watercolour (subsequently coloured by the artist) 
28.6 x 21.6 cm

The Real Soldier

The Real Soldier

87 'But Hold!' Cried the President

Reginald Completely Lost His Temper

'Your Fate be Upon Your Own Head'

Floundering About in the Sea

In Expectation of Their Leader

Note: Illustrations from Bill the Minder continue in Part 9 of this series