The Heath Robinson Connection
The
English book illustrator and comic artist William Heath Robinson (May 31, 1872-
1944) was closely linked to the Brinsmead family. For those who do not know his
works, he is famous for his cartoons depicting fantastic and complex
contraptions to achieve the simplest tasks. He has the distinction of becoming
an adjective in his own right. "A bit Heath Robinson" is a common way of
describing a convoluted invention or project. In fact the first efforts to build
a decoding machine (the predecessor to the Enigma Project) resulted in a machine
called Heath Robinson.
William Heath Robinson's parents were Thomas Robinson (1838-1902) and Eliza Heath (1849-1921).
Thomas Robinson was an illustrator and engraver and worked for the
Illustrated London News.
The most direct link is through his daughter Joan, who married Denis
Brinsmead (1907-1995). Denis was the son of Horace George Brinsmead and a
grandson of John Brinsmead the piano manufacturer.
William Heath Robinson is also related to the Brinsmeads through his
marriage, in 1903 to
Josephine Latey, the daughter of John Latey (1842-1902). John Latey was an
assistant editor of the Illustrated London News. He was also a close
colleague of Will's father Thomas Robinson. His father John Lash Latey came from North Devon and
made his way in London at about the same time as John Brinsmead, the piano
manufacturer. Josephine had a brother, William Latey who married Anne Emily
Brinsmead, the daughter of Horace George Brinsmead. Thus, Anne Emily Latey (nee
Brinsmead) was William Heath Robinson's sister-in-law. Anne Emily Brinsmead was
the daughter of Horace George Brinsmead and the grand-daughter of John
Brinsmead.
A William Heath Robinson trust has been established to preserve and create a
museum for his works. He lived in Pinner in North London between 1908 and 1918
(between 1908 and 1913 at Hatch End and between 1913 and 1918 at Moy Lodge, 75 Moss Lane). The William Heath Robinson trust has
entered into a partnership with the Pinner Association to promote the restoration of West House,
Pinner to be used as a museum for his work. Click here for details:
For more information on Heath Robinson, check out these sites: