Fast Friends
The original Winnie was a real-life orphaned female black bear adopted by a Canadian soldier from Winnipeg, Harry Coulbourne.
The Gift
Known for being playful and gentle, Winnie was eventually gifted to the London Zoological Gardens. There, zoo visitors where A. A. Milne and his son Christopher Robin Milne developed a fondness for the bear while visiting the zoo.
Child’s Play
Christopher Robin Milne was so taken with Winnie, he named his stuffed teddy after her.
The Cast
A. A. Milne created stories about Winnie and included his son’s other toys – Piglet, Eeyore, Kanga, Roo, and Tigger – in the tales. Gopher was not part of the original cast of characters. Disney introduced the character in 1966.
Family Drama
The real-life Christopher Robin grew to dislike his father’s stories after being teased about them by schoolmates.
Fun & Games
Since 1984, Oxfordshire has hosted the Annual World Poohsticks Championship in honour of the Poohsticks game made famous in the Pooh books.
