8 January 2016 Surrey Advertiser 19 Booklet explores artist’s life and time in Cranleigh

He drew for the school a By Georgina Townshend poster advertising the ‘Lads v Dads’ cricket match on June William Heath Robinson, 3 1922, and also drew posters the 20th century humorous for the prep school plays. illustrator known as ‘The “Each day, whatever the Gadget King’ for his drawings weather, Heath Robinson of imaginary contraptions, walked up Horsham Road, lived in Cranleigh for more along the street to the post than 10 years at the end of office on the corner of the First World War. Knowle Lane, and home A new booklet written by again; and Cranleigh was Jenny Overton and titled W idea for long walks, which he Heath Robinson in Cranleigh loved,” writes Jenny Overton. 1918-1929, looks at the art- The booklet talks about Mr ist’s decision to move with Robinson’s life in Cranleigh his wife to Cranleigh in 1918, and how it shaped his career drawn, as he was, to life in and family life. the countryside where the It reminisces about how at North Downs stretched the the end of the First World skyline. War, German POWs were Born in 1872, he was the sent out to do farm-work and A cartoon from Heath Robinson’s How to Live in a Flat. third child of Thomas and gardening, and that the artist Eliza Robinson. On leaving took on two. the Royal Academy Schools “Though the Surrey reported that ‘besides being Magazine in 1924, David in 1895 his ambition was to Advertiser warned sternly (on a clever cartoonist he showed Mann’s stores advertised become a landscape painter. May 4 1918) that ‘under the his aptitude for work of a ‘spring-cleaning requisites of However, he soon realised Defence Realm Act, it is a se- more serious character’. every kind’, for vacuuming or that would not pay the bills, rious offence to give or sell One of Mr Robinson’s beating carpets, replacing so he followed his two older either food or clothing to most well known images is mattress covers, cleaning up- Heath Robinson’s Huns Using Laughing Gas to Disable British Troops before an Attack. brothers into book prisoners of war’, he left two the 1925 The Trials of Spring- holstery, washing windows illustration. mugs of cocoa and a plate of cleaning endured on the Ark: and paintwork’. He soon established him- bread and cheese in the gar- a Complete Wash-out. In 1929 Heath Robinson self as a talented practitioner den shed each morning,” it The booklet suggests: “The and his wife decided to move in his field, and in 1903 felt Regent Street by Heath Robinson. wrote. story of the Ark appealed to back to London, where Joan sufficiently secure to marry. The booklet also mentions Heath Robinson and fitted and Oliver were already But, the following year a pub- illustrator and humorist with he became a part of the com- a Surrey Advertiser article, Cranleigh, which, being built working. lisher who had commis- equal and growing success, munity, especially in regards which reported on an exhibi- on clay, used to flood easily.” The book is available to sioned a large quantity of but by the end of the First to his eldest son Oliver who tion of nearly 80 works by It also mentioned that in buy at Manns of Cranleigh drawings was declared World War, for which he was attended Cranleigh School. three local artists. It was the Cranleigh Parish for £5.95. bankrupt. too old to enlist, the market The young Mr Robinson, for lavishly illustrated gift who had just become the fa- books was gone. ther of a baby girl, Joan, who The resulting gap was later went on to go to St readily filled since his talents UK WATER SOFTENERS Catherine’s School in as a humorist were in ever in- Bramley, had quickly to find creasing demand, especially a new source of income. for advertising. AT THE MEADOWS CAMBERLEY He turned to the high class For the remainder of his Friday 8th & Saturday 9th January weekly magazines such as career his main employment The Sketch and The Tatler that was in providing his unique UK Water Softeners will be stainless steel sinks. It can also Kevin Goody of UK Water Softeners paid well for large, highly fin- brand of humour to maga- exhibiting at the Meadows aggravate skin problems such as is one of the top TwinTec dealers. ished humorous drawings, zines and advertising, sup- Camberley at 9-5pm on the eczema and psoriasis. Why is Kevin so successful? and within a year was being plemented by occasional Friday & Saturday the 8th and With a water softener, no limescale He puts it down to extensive acclaimed as a unique talent commissions for fantasy 9th January. in the field of humorous art. illustrations. will form in the house, which means marketing and a great plumber For a number of years, he In the 11 years Heath Meet the owner Kevin and whilst you will do less cleaning, stop with a wealth of experience having combined his careers as Robinson lived in Cranleigh you are there enter the prize draw buying limescale related products, worked for the manufacturers for to win £150.00 worth of Marks and cut washing powder use by up to the last four years, good customer Spencers vouchers. 75% and have less chance of large satisfaction and recommendations. Kevin will be at the Atrium which is bills for potential future problems Kevin has installed more than 4800 near the entrances of Marks and with your heating system and water softeners in homes in this Spencer’s and Tesco’s. (Postcode appliance breakdowns. area over the last 20 years GU47 0FD) If you were to purchase an ordinary ALTHOUGH most of us put up with softener you would have quite a hard water, many do not realise large machine, which requires you can do something about it. you to carry a 25kg bag of salt. Limescale furs up our heating The TwinTec S3 is different. systems, causing breakdowns, It is small, requires no electricity Top TwinTec dealer makes it more expensive to and uses block salt — like heat our homes and damages two house bricks — instead of and arranges everything from our appliances. heavy 25kg bags. initial survey to installation. If you The other problem with’ limescale Harvey Softeners has been have an old water softener, trade is the constant cleaning of manufacturing softeners in this it in for something smaller and showerheads, shower screens, area for more than 35 years more efficient.

This piece, in which Adam discovers golf in the Garden of Eden, is called The Fall of Man and is from from Heath Robinson’s Humours of Golf.

Left: Heath Robinson’s A Near Thing. Built to the highest standards by Harvey Softeners Bottom left: email [email protected] The Fairy’s Birthday. Heath Robinson’s Seasonal Precautions at a West End For more information contact Kevin Goody on www.uk-water-softeners.co.uk • www.watersoftenersuk.com Restaurant – Corking up the holes in the Gruyere cheese to 116 Sheridan Road, Frimley, Surrey GU16 7EH stop the draught. 01276 27924 Established 20 years