Mary V. Wheelhouse: Suffragette, Illustrator and Toymaker

The Heath Robinson Museum is proud to present an exhibition celebrating Mary Vermuyden Wheelhouse (1868 – 1947): British illustrator, toymaker and campaigner for women’s suffrage.


Wheelhouse is an artist who, in spite of her significant contributions to the history of British art, has perhaps never received the recognition she deserves. Despite a career illustrating books, crafting toys for Liberty’s and Harrods, and promoting the work of her fellow women artists, Wheelhouse’s work has never been shown in a solo exhibition.

Familiar with both the paintbrush and the placard, Wheelhouse was a dedicated suffragette. She helped found the Artists’ Suffrage League and exhibited with the Women’s International Art Club for many years, and was a tireless supporter of women artists, writers and crafters. This exhibition displays her vivid and detailed illustrations, as well as the wooden ‘Pomona’ toys she created with fellow artist and suffragette campaigner Louise Jacobs.

See three artistic careers overlap as Wheelhouse illustrates novels and stories, produces dynamic oil paintings and charms viewers of her delicate wooden dolls. Discover her legacy, not only as a fierce advocate for women’s rights, but also as a skilled, serious and endlessly versatile artist.