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The famous bear character from the storybook “Winnie the Pooh” has a real-life connection to the city of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
British author AA Milne, who created and wrote the world famous Winnie the Pooh character, named the character the bear after a favorite teddy bear owned by the author’s young son, Christopher Milne. The interesting question is how, where and why the young Christopher Milne named his favorite toy bear “Pooh”.
It appears that Christopher Milne named the toy after a favorite real-life living bear that lived and was on display at London Zoo, in London, England. Then as now, one of the most enjoyable excursions for families on weekend trips was to the zoo, in this case London Zoo. Young Christopher Milne was so enamored and enthralled with the zoo’s bear named “Winnie” that he named his favorite toy after the bear. Therefore, when his father, the author, wrote his poetry books and novels and named the central character, this was directly after the London Zoo bear, the bear named “Winnie”.
The name “Winnie the Pooh” has a direct connection to the city of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. A black bear cub “Winnipeg” proper, or nickname for short “Winnie”, was the mascot of the “Fort Garry Horse”, an infantry unit based in Winnipeg.
On the way of the Fort Garry Horse unit’s transportation across Canada by train, the train attended a “whistle stop” at White River Ontario. Among the members of this unit was a young veterinarian, who had enlisted in the army, named Harry Colebourn. Harry had a real appreciation and a real deal with animals, whether they were pets, farm animals, or wild animals.
While at the White River train station, young Lieutenant Colebourn took the time to notice a hunter carrying a black bear cub. It seemed that the hunter had shot the mother bear. The young cub was something of a pet and too young to care for himself or fend for himself in the wild. Harry Colebourn took an interest and took pity on the poor black bear cub realizing that the hunter would soon lose interest or be unable to care for the bear to the point that he might be released back into the wild. After a period of bargaining, the hunter reluctantly sold the innocent but playful young bear cub to Mr. Colebourn for the then princely sum of $20. After purchasing the bear and becoming familiar with it during the train ride to the Canadian province of Quebec – name the bear after his hometown and that of the Winnipeg regiment. At some point, this was shortened to the bear’s nickname of “Winnie”. Therefore, the young bear cub was named “Winnipeg” and nicknamed “Winnie” for short.
Winnie the bear cub accompanied the train ride, as well as the boat ride, and traveled with this group of Canadian infantry to England. The bear cub “Winnie” became the famous mascot of the “Fort Garry Regiment of Horses” based in Winnipeg. While stationed in England, on Salisbury Plain, Winnipeg, the bear from “Winnie” stayed for a short time in Lieutenant Colebourne’s tent, sleeping under his cot, and became a favorite of the Canadian soldiers.
This bear cub “Winnie” stayed with the regiment and continued to be a source of pleasure and enjoyment to the group and indeed became quite famous and well known. However, when the regiment itself was unfortunately to be sent to the battlefields of France, Harry placed Winnie under the protection and custody of London Zoo, in London, England. Four years later, Harry Colebourn, now promoted to Captain, returned to London to take Winnie home. However, seeing how beloved and successful she was by British schoolchildren, Colebourn decided to let the bear stay and officially donated Winnie to London Zoo, making the zoo the rightful owner and keeper.
When one realizes the worldwide impact that resulted from the Winnie the Pooh storybook character for children around the world and in many different languages in the culture, one can imagine the admiration and love that the young Christopher Milne had. for the black bear cub. Winnipeg” or “Winnie” the Pooh for shorts.