In 1926, the first Winnie-the-Pooh book by Alan Alexander Milne was published, beautifully illustrated by Ernest Howard Shepard. But just what inspired the character, the world and the heart-warming tales that have stood the test of time for an entire century?
In 1915, a young orphaned black bear was taken from Canada to London by Harry Colebourn of the Royal Canadian Army Veterinary Corps, who brought her to the London Zoo. Hailing from Winnipeg, Ontario, she was aptly named Winnipeg, or Winnie for short. Socialised by humans from a young age, Winnie soon became a favourite of zoo visitors. One of her most frequent visitors was the young son of A.A. Milne, Christopher Robin.
Milne had previously bought a toy bear for his young son from Harrods in London, originally named Edward Bear. Christopher Robin later decided to change the bear’s name to Winnie after his favourite real life bear, and later added Pooh in honour of a family friend’s pet swan. Thus, Winnie-the-Pooh was born!
Inspired by Christopher Robin’s relationship with Winnie-the-Pooh, Milne penned the first Winnie-the-Pooh story - Winnie-the-Pooh and The Wrong Sort of Bees - which was published in the London Evening News on Christmas eve, 1925. This was soon followed by his first full-length children’s book simply titled Winnie-the-Pooh in 1926, and many more stories about the adventures of Pooh Bear and his friends released over the years, with Milne basing the characters of Piglet, Tigger, Eeyore, Kanga and Roo on other toys belonging to Christopher Robin; also, E. H. Shepard’s original illustrative design for Winnie-the-Pooh was based on his own son Graham’s toy bear, Growler, keeping the familial links strong!
1961 marked Disney’s acquisition of the rights to carry on the legacy of Winnie-the-Pooh, beginning with the 1966 animated short Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree, one of the final projects Walt Disney personally worked on before his passing.
In 1987, Christopher Robin’s beloved Winnie-the-pooh and friends were donated from the Milne family line to the New York public library, where they continue to reside (sans Roo, who was unfortunately lost during the 1930’s).
Even after a century, Winnie-the-Pooh and his friends continue to be some of the most beloved children’s characters to this day!
(photo from The Guardian)