After his education he acted for some time as his father's secretary, but he soon embarked upon a literary career, his first novel The House of Elmore, begun before he was eighteen, being published in 1855.
Robinson was also a pioneer in novels of low life, which included Owen, a Waif (1862), Mattie, a Stray (1864), and Milly's Hero (1865).
Poor Humanity (1868) was dramatised by the author and played with some success at the Surrey Theatre with William Creswick in the chief role, a returned convict.
Robinson contributed to Family Herald, Cassell's Magazine and other periodicals, and for some years wrote dramatic criticisms for The Daily News, The Observer, and other papers.
[1] He died at Elmore House, St James's Road, Brixton, on 6 December 1901, and was buried at West Norwood Cemetery.