William Heath Robinson (31 May 1872 – 13 September 1944) was an English cartoonist, illustrator and artist, best known for drawings of whimsically elaborate machines to achieve simple objectives.
In the UK, the term “Heath Robinson” entered the popular language during the 1914–1918 First World War as a description of any unnecessarily complex and implausible contrivance, much as “Rube Goldberg machines” came to be used in the United States from the 1920s onwards as a term for similar efforts. “Heath Robinson contraption” is perhaps more often used in relation to temporary fixes using ingenuity and whatever is to hand, often string and tape, or unlikely cannibalisations.
W. Heath Robinson Illustrated Books
- Andersen, Hans Christian – Danish Fairy Tales and Legends, Bliss 1897
- Cervantes, M. de – Don Quixote, Bliss 1897
- Rouse, W. H. D. – The Giant Crab and other tales, Nutt 1897
- Bunyan, J. – The Pilgrim’s Progress, Sands 1897
- Gomme, G. L. – The Queen’s Story Book, Constable & Co., London, 1898
- Crooke, W. & Rouse, W. H. D. – The Talking Thrush, J.M. Dent, London, 1899
- Andersen, H. C. – Fairy Tales, J.M. Dent, London, 1899
- ____ The Arabian Nights Entertainments, Newnes 1899
- Poe, E. A. – Poems, Bell 1900
- Schuck – Medieval Stories, Sands 1902
- Rippman, W. – Dent’s Andersen in German, J.M. Dent, London, 1902
- Robinson, W. H. – Uncle Lubin, Richards 1902
- Cervantes, M. de – The Adventures of Don Quixote, J.M. Dent, London, 1902
- Munchausen, Baron – The Surprising Travels and Adventures, Richards 1902
- Lamb, C. – Tales from Shakespeare, Sands 1902
- Robinson, W. H. – The Child’s Arabian Nights, Richards 1903
- Hodgson, G. – Rama and the Monkeys, J.M. Dent, London, 1903
- Rabelais, F. – Works 2v., Richards 1904
- Carse, R. – The Monarchs of Merry England, Unwin 1904
- Kennedy, H. A. – The Merry Multifleet and the Mounting Multicorps, J.M. Dent, London, 1904
- Kelman, J. H. – Stories from Chaucer, Jack 1906
- ____ Stories from the Odyssey, Jack c. 1906
- Shakespeare, W. – Twelfth Night, Hodder & Stoughton, London, 1908
- Kipling, R. – A Song of the English, Hodder & Stoughton, London, 1909
- Kipling, R. – Collected Verse, Doubleday 1910
- Kipling, R. – The Dead King, Hodder & Stoughton, London, 1910
- Robinson, W. H. – Bill the Minder, Constable & Co., London, 1912
- Andersen, H. C. – Andersen’s Fairy Tales, Hodder & Stoughton, London, 1913
- Shakespeare, W. – A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Constable & Co., London, 1914
- Kingsley, C. – The Water Babies, Constable & Co., London, 1915
- Robinson, W. H. – Some Frightful War Pictures ,Duckworth 1915
- ____ Hunlikely, Duckworth 1916
- Walter De la Mare, W. – Peacock Pie, Constable & Co., London, 1916
- Robinson, W. H. – The Saintly Hun, Duckworth 1917
- ____ Flypapers, Duckworth 1919
- ____ Get on With it . G. Heath Robinson [1920?]
- ____ The Home Made Car, Duckworth 1921
- Perrault, Charles – Old Time Stories, Constable & Co., London, 1921
- Robinson, W. H. – Peter Quip in Search of a Friend, Partridge 1921
- ____ Quaint and Selected Pictures G. Heath Robinson 1922
- ____ Humours of Golf, Methuen 1923
- Smeaton, E. – Topsy Turvey Tales, Lane 1923
- Hunter, N. – The Incredible Adventures of Professor Branestawm, Lane 1933
- Robinson, W. H. – Absurdities, Hutchinson & Co, London 1934
- Lyne, G. M. – Balbus: a Latin Reading Book, Arnold 1934
- Robinson, W. H. – Heath Robinson’s Book of Goblins, Hutchinson & Co, London 1934
- Browne, K. R. G. – How to Live in a Flat, Hutchinson & Co, London 1936
- Robinson, W. H. – How to be a Perfect Husband, Hutchinson & Co, London 1937
- Robinson, W. H. – How to Make a Garden Grow, Hutchinson & Co, London 1938
- Robinson, W. H. – My Line of Life, Blackie 1938
- Gledhill, J. B. & Preston, F. – Success with Stocks and Shares, Pitman 1938
- Browne, K. R. G. – How to be a Motorist, Hutchinson & Co, London 1939
- ____ Let’s Laugh, Hutchinson & Co, London 1939
- Patterson, R. F. – Mein Rant, Blackie 1940
- Hunt, H. C. – How to Make the Best of Things, Hutchinson & Co, London 1941
- Robinson, W. H. Heath Robinson at War, Methuen 1942
- Hunt, H. C. – How to Run a Communal Home, Hutchinson & Co, London 1943
- Clopet, L. M. C. – Once Upon a Time, Muller 1944
