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HOME Pooh Facts!

When is Winnie-the-Pooh’s Birthday?

 

Pooh was ‘born’ in June 1921, one of hundreds of identical teddy bears produced at Farnell’s toy factory in West London, and was bought by the author’s wife Daphne (from Harrods no less), for their new son Christopher Robin. We prefer to believe however that Winnie-the-Pooh's birthday is August 21, 1921, the date our furry friend was given to Christopher Robin Milne.

 

Where can I visit the original Winnie-the-Pooh and Friends?

 

In 1947 Pooh and friends departed for the USA on a book tour, and ultimately made their new home in a permanent exhibition at the New York Public Library - where 750,000 people visit them every year. The original Winnie-the-Pooh, Piglet, Tigger and Eeyore have stood the test of time, EXCEPT for the original 'Roo', who was sadly lost in an apple orchard close to Christopher Robin’s home in the 1930s.

 

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How did Winnie-the-Pooh get such a funny and unusual name?

 

A.A. Milne named "Winnie" after an orphaned black bear cub brought to London by Lieutenant Harry Colebourn, a Canadian Army officer stationed in the UK at the onset of World War I.    Lt. Colebourn named the bear “Winnie” in honour of his home city of Winnipeg, Manitoba, however when his Regiment received battle orders for France, Lt. Colebourn wisely decided to give Winnie to the London Zoo for safekeeping.  Winnie soon became the most popular attraction at the Zoo, visited many times by Christopher Robin and his father - Christopher liked the bear so much that A.A. Milne decided there and then to name the main character in his new book “Winnie” – after the bear cub they saw at London Zoo.

On a family holiday Christopher Robin loved to feed a swan on the river that he named "Pooh".   He wrote however, "that was a long time ago, and when we said good-bye, we took the name with us, as we didn't think the swan would want it any more."  A.A. Milne added (and he would know!)  that “Pooh” comes from the noise Winnie makes when he uses his mouth to blow flies off his nose….

 

Why is Pooh the Most Famous Bear in the World?

 

The adventures of our hunny-loving bear have been translated into more than 50 languages, including Afrikaans, Czech, Finnish, Yiddish, Latin and Mandarin – and it’s estimated that book sales to date comfortably exceed 30 million copies.

When the books were first published in the 1920’s the world of course was a much “smaller” place, and although the stories were a huge success and Christopher Robin and Pooh became instantly famous in the UK, it was in 1961 when the Disney Corporation acquired the rights to the stories that Pooh truly became an international star, loved by young (and not so young) around the world.

 

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How was the game of Poohsticks invented?

 

Pooh Sticks was “invented” by Winnie-the-Pooh in The House at Pooh Corner whilst walking on the bridge crossing the stream close to Christopher Robin’s home at Cotchford Farm. What started with a lovable bear accidentally kicking a fir cone into a river soon became an adventure – however with Pooh and friends using sticks rather than fir cones because they were “easier to mark”.  Eeyore also insisted that sticks travelled faster than cones…. as long as you let your stick drop “in a twitchy sort of way”!   Each summer over the past 35 years the World Poohsticks Championship has taken place in the UK, where Players of all ages come from countries across the globe to have fun and compete -  with the aim of becoming the next Poohsticks World Champion!

 

 

​Pooh and Piglet

Who is Ernest Shepard, and how did he play such an important part in the Stories?

 

Part of the magic of Pooh and friends is how all the characters are brought to life by the wonderful animal and landscape drawings by E.H. Shepard - the illustrator who collaborated with AA Milne on all the original stories. Ernest Shepard had originally worked with Alan Milne at Punch magazine as a cartoonist in the pre-Pooh days, and  imagination and skill totally enriched the stories.

 

P.S. As recently as July 2018, Ernest Shephard’s original map drawing of 100 Aker Wood from the end-papers of Winnie-the-Pooh became the most expensive book illustration ever sold at auction - it achieved a sale price of £430,000.

POOH TREK © GEM CONSULTANCY

christopher robin movie
Pooh Facts!

When is Winnie-the-Pooh’s Birthday?

 

Pooh was ‘born’ in June 1921, one of hundreds of identical teddy bears produced at Farnell’s toy factory in West London, and was bought by the author’s wife Daphne (from Harrods no less), for their new son Christopher Robin. We prefer to believe however that Winnie-the-Pooh's birthday is August 21, 1921, the date our furry friend was given to Christopher Robin Milne.

 

Where can I visit the original Winnie-the-Pooh and Friends?

 

In 1947 Pooh and friends departed for the USA on a book tour, and ultimately made their new home in a permanent exhibition at the New York Public Library - where 750,000 people visit them every year. The original Winnie-the-Pooh, Piglet, Tigger and Eeyore have stood the test of time, EXCEPT for the original 'Roo', who was sadly lost in an apple orchard close to Christopher Robin’s home in the 1930s.

 

​

 

How did Winnie-the-Pooh get such a funny and unusual name?

 

A.A. Milne named "Winnie" after an orphaned black bear cub brought to London by Lieutenant Harry Colebourn, a Canadian Army officer stationed in the UK at the onset of World War I.    Lt. Colebourn named the bear “Winnie” in honour of his home city of Winnipeg, Manitoba, however when his Regiment received battle orders for France, Lt. Colebourn wisely decided to give Winnie to the London Zoo for safekeeping.  Winnie soon became the most popular attraction at the Zoo, visited many times by Christopher Robin and his father - Christopher liked the bear so much that A.A. Milne decided there and then to name the main character in his new book “Winnie” – after the bear cub they saw at London Zoo.

On a family holiday Christopher Robin loved to feed a swan on the river that he named "Pooh".   He wrote however, "that was a long time ago, and when we said good-bye, we took the name with us, as we didn't think the swan would want it any more."  A.A. Milne added (and he would know!)  that “Pooh” comes from the noise Winnie makes when he uses his mouth to blow flies off his nose….

 

Why is Pooh the Most Famous Bear in the World?

 

The adventures of our hunny-loving bear have been translated into more than 50 languages, including Afrikaans, Czech, Finnish, Yiddish, Latin and Mandarin – and it’s estimated that book sales to date comfortably exceed 30 million copies.

When the books were first published in the 1920’s the world of course was a much “smaller” place, and although the stories were a huge success and Christopher Robin and Pooh became instantly famous in the UK, it was in 1961 when the Disney Corporation acquired the rights to the stories that Pooh truly became an international star, loved by young (and not so young) around the world.

 

​

 

How was the game of Poohsticks invented?

 

Pooh Sticks was “invented” by Winnie-the-Pooh in The House at Pooh Corner whilst walking on the bridge crossing the stream close to Christopher Robin’s home at Cotchford Farm. What started with a lovable bear accidentally kicking a fir cone into a river soon became an adventure – however with Pooh and friends using sticks rather than fir cones because they were “easier to mark”.  Eeyore also insisted that sticks travelled faster than cones…. as long as you let your stick drop “in a twitchy sort of way”!   Each summer over the past 35 years the World Poohsticks Championship has taken place in the UK, where Players of all ages come from countries across the globe to have fun and compete -  with the aim of becoming the next Poohsticks World Champion!

 

 

​Pooh and Piglet

 

Who is Ernest Shepard, and how did he play such an important part in the Stories?

 

Part of the magic of Pooh and friends is how all the characters are brought to life by the wonderful animal and landscape drawings by E.H. Shepard - the illustrator who collaborated with AA Milne on all the original stories. Ernest Shepard had originally worked with Alan Milne at Punch magazine as a cartoonist in the pre-Pooh days, and  imagination and skill totally enriched the stories.

 

P.S. As recently as July 2018, Ernest Shephard’s original map drawing of 100 Aker Wood from the end-papers of Winnie-the-Pooh became the most expensive book illustration ever sold at auction - it achieved a sale price of £430,000.