WINNIPEG – The world’s most famous literary bear, Winnie the Pooh, is celebrating its 100th anniversary.
With the first publication of the full-length book on Oct. 14, 1926, Winnie the Pooh has become a beloved character for generations of children and adults around the world.
Origins of Winnie the Pooh
But before Pooh came to life, there was a real bear cub and a veterinarian, both from Canada.
Winnie the Pooh’s history began in 1914.
During a train stop in White River, Ont., Canadian veterinarian, and Capt. Harry Colebourn bought a bear cub for $20 and named her Winnipeg, or “Winnie”, after his hometown.
While overseas during the First World War, Colebourn and his fellow soldiers cared for Winnie, who became the mascot of the 2nd Canadian Infantry Brigade.
But Lindsay Mattick, who is Colebourn’s great-granddaughter, said he realized he had to give Winnie up, and brought her to the London Zoo in England.
While she was at the zoo, she met a lot of visitors, including a young boy named Christopher Robin.
“Christopher Robin fell in love with her as a little black bear because she was extremely friendly, known for letting kids ride on her back,” Mattick told CTV News.
His love for the bear then inspired his father, English author Alan Alexander (A. A.) Milne, to create the beloved Winnie the Pooh stories.
“It’s a pretty remarkable story,” Mattick said. “Today, we’re celebrating 100 years of Winnie the Pooh stories, and I think that, to me, that’s a little bit about what is truly possible, because you couldn’t make this up.”
Illustrator Ernest Howard (E. H.) Shepard brought the stories to life with his now-iconic drawings of Pooh and his friends, Piglet, Eeyore, Tigger, Rabbit, and the rest of the gang.
The historic collection has become a literary legacy that has grown to include books, animated films, television series, toys, and merchandise.
Mattick never imagined her family’s story would reach so many people.
“When you have a story that is a true story that’s just as beautiful and powerful as a fictional story, that’s really worth sharing.”
Mattick herself has published two books, detailing the true story of her great-grandfather and the bear cub he adopted.
The century celebration is being marked around the world, including at a new exhibit at the New York Public Library.
The Winnipeg connection
There are several statues and galleries of Winnie the Pooh in Winnipeg, where inspiration for the whole story essentially began.
The Winnipeg Public Library is also joining in on the Winnie the Pooh celebrations, with special displays, story times, crafts, and activities across the city.
Collections librarian Aileen Clear says the city has over 190 Winnie the Pooh related titles in its collection, which include the books translated into several languages.
“It’s kind of part of our history,” she told CTV News. “So having that in the Winnipeg Public Library is certainly important to preserve that history.”
The City of Winnipeg put up a statue of Capt. Colebourn with Winnie at Assiniboine Park in 1992.
The park also houses The Pooh Gallery, which was opened in 2012.
The gallery features a permanent collection of artifacts, books, toys, and other belongings related to the story.
Bonnie Tuloch, who is an education co-ordinator at the Assiniboine Park Conservancy, says it’s important to bring this historic collection to life.
“There’s lots of books in here; lovely artwork,” she said. “It has an important connection for us.”
“Those books have become more popular over the years. People don’t always recognize that little bear has Winnipeg origins, so we like to highlight that,” she said.
