Bill the Minder (1912) by W. Heath Robinson

William Heath Robinson (1872-1944) was an exemplary book illustrator and cartoonist, “the only British illustrator to become a ‘household name'” (Houfe), a contemporary of acclaimed illustrators Arthur Rackham and Edmund Dulac, best known for his cartoons portraying elaborate and whimsical machinary made to complete simple tasks.

In fact, his fame was such that the term “Heath Robinson” was used in the United Kingdom to refer to such machinary, much as the term “Rube Goldberg” was used in the United States. “Bill the Minder” is written and illustrated by W. Heath Robinson, and this first UK edition is replete with line drawings in Robinson’s bold and confident style (well over 100, including chapter head- and tail-pieces), as well as sixteen colour plates visualising the fanciful world the characters explore.

Bill the Minder is a brilliant and hilarious novel featuring the eponymous hero and the children he minds–the nine rambunctious offspring of old Crispin the mushroom-gatherer–through their picaresque adventures, which conclude with the siege and capture of a Troy. The absurd and eccentric inventions for which Robinson was revered–imagine a partnership between MacGyver and Rube Goldberg–have their origins here. The book was heralded by one contemporary reviewer as “surely the most charming juvenile since Peter Pan.” Wrote another: “Child or grownup, the book will fascinate you, text and illustrations intermingling into one long delicious fancy that would make the longest and wettest day a blessing to the most restless.”

About the Illustrator W. Heath Robinson:

W. Heath Robinson (1872–1944) was a British cartoonist and illustrator best known for his fantastical machines and satirical drawings. Though often compared to Rube Goldberg, Robinson’s contraptions were distinctively English and deeply imaginative, often accompanied by a narrative charm that made them accessible to both children and adults. His work in Bill the Minder is among his most celebrated, showcasing both his narrative inventiveness and artistic brilliance.

Recommended for collectors:

• The Adventures of Uncle Lubin (1902), by W. Heath Robinson – A surreal early work full of visual whimsy and fantastical machines.
• The Incredible Adventures of Professor Branestawm (1933), by Norman Hunter, illustrated by W. Heath Robinson – A comical tale featuring wild inventions and absurd logic.
• The Water-Babies (1915), illustrated by W. Heath Robinson – A classic tale enriched by Robinson’s intricate and imaginative illustrations.

Art Gallery: W. Heath Robinson – Bill the Minder 1912