Discover more about the real-life bear that inspired author A.A. Milne
First published on 14 October 1926, Winnie-the-Pooh was named after London Zoo’s female black bear, who arrived on 9 December 1914 and was the mascot of a Canadian regiment, who were in training on Salisbury Plain – she had been purchased earlier that year for $20 by Lieutenant Harry Colebourn, from a hunter in Ontario, who named her Winnie after his hometown of Winnipeg.
Colebourn intended to eventually take Winnie back to Canada with him and would often visit her at the Zoo while on leave – but after seeing how loved she was by both visitors and staff, decided to leave her in the full-time care of the zoo’s keepers once the war ended.
Milne decided to name his fictional character, Pooh Bear, after Winnie, as his son often visited het at the zoo.
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