Robinson Partners

Robinson Partners logo on an Austin Sports Car ride

One of the leading manufacturers of penny slot machines, Samson Novelty Co. was founded in Barnes by Jack Holloway in the late 1920s.  It was very much a family concern with many of Jack's relatives working for the company.  In 1948, some younger members of the family decided to branch out with Alfred James Haycock and create a new company manufacturing "scientific instruments".  They chose the name Robinson Partners for this company "so as not to cash in on the famous Holloway name".

In 1953, Robinson Partners produced their first kiddie ride.  In fact, this was the first EVER British made coin operated ride on the market, a horse known only as Ride-'Im Cowboy.

The World's Fair, December 26th 1953

Many more rides followed over the coming years.  In 1959, Robinson Partners built a new, larger factory to allow for a greater manufacturing capacity.

Samson Novelty Co and Robinson Partners appear to have kept very close ties and in fact shared the same factory in a three storey building in Charles Street by the 70s. Alfred Haycock became a director of Samson Novelty Co in 1961 (possibly after Jack Holloway's death?) but sadly passed away himself in 1973, at the age of 52.  His eldest son, Colin, was a manager of an amusement arcade at Battersea Funfair at the time (outside which I know stood several Robinson Partners rides).

By 1975, Colin and Ernest Holloway were the joint directors of both companies.  Samson Novelty Co. were made distributors for their candy floss machines and telescopes, while Robinson Partners focused on the manufacturing side, including a range of approximately twenty kiddie rides.  It was around this time that they closed the operating side of the business, reconditioning and selling off the rides they had previously operated.

Despite trying to keep prices down, they were being forced to upgrade the cost of their machines to 5p in line with inflation.  All rides were being produced with fibreglass bodies by this time, making them much lighter weight and more practical to move around than their earlier counterparts.

Their employees spoke very favourably about the company.  Service engineer, Harry Bloxham, worked for the Holloways for at least 20 years, while Raymond Smiter joined the company straight from school and worked on the candy floss machines for well over a decade.

The company continued in some capacity until the mid-1990s, when it was dissolved.  Although I can't find much information on them in their final years, I believe they may have resumed the operating side of the business, as there were many Robinson Partners rides at shops around West London in the early 90s, none of them with an operator's ownership plate on them as far as I can recall.

Ride releases

1953 - Ride 'Im Cowboy
1954 - Sky Ranger
1956 - Flying Saucer, Speed-Boat, Submarine
1957 - Two Horse Carousel, Yacht
1958 - Austin Sports Car, Thames Police Motor Launch
1960 - Fire Chaser
1961 - Humpy, Jumbo
1962 - Fire Chief, Police Launch, Police Motorcycle, Racing Car
1963 - Veteran Car
1966 - Double Circus Ride, Helicopter, Motorcycle
1969 - Air-Sea Rescue Helicopter, Mini Moke
1971 - Army Jeep, Mini Mop, Police Car, Safari Jeep
1972 - Dolphin
1974 - Mini Go-Kart
1976 - Camouflage Tank
1978 - Armoured Car
1979 - Motorcycle and Sidecar
1980 - Rocking Horse

1981 - Snowcar
Unknown - Donald Duck, Jet Patrol, Jumbo II, Mini Lion, Mini Pony, Mini Zebra and Space Traveller