Posted on Fri Aug 23rd, 2013 at 9:09 am


Happy Cake & Presents Day Pooh

Looking Great at 99

If one were to pose the question, “What is Winnie the Pooh’s official birthday?” you might get a different answer depending on whom you asked as there are several dates that could be considered “birthdays”. 

 

October 21st, 1921 – On Christopher Robin’s 1st Birthday he received a teddy bear as a gift – which at first he named Edward Bear but ultimately changed his name to Winnie the Pooh.

 

February 13th, 1924 – Pooh appeared in Punch Magazine as “Teddy Bear” in stories by A.A. Milne

 

November 6th, 1924 - Christopher Robin's teddy bear , Edward, made his character début in a poem called "Teddy Bear" in Milne's book of children's verse When We Were Very Young.

 

December 24th, 1925 – Winnie-the-Pooh first appeared by name in a Christmas story commissioned and published by the London newspaper The Evening News.

 

October 14th 1926 - The debut of the first publication of the children's books Winnie-the-Pooh.

 

February 4th, 1966 – Disney debuts to the world the movie Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree

 

So on which date do you send a jar of huuny and saucer of condensed milk?  I choose August 24, 1914.  Why?  It was on this date White River Trapper, George Cooke, sold a black a bear cub to Lieutenant Harry Colebourn who was passing through town.  Harry called the little cub "Winnipeg" after his hometown and eventually she became known as "Winnie".  Shortly after adopting Winnie, Colebourn received orders to report to France so he made arrangements to leave Winnie in the London Zoo until he returned. 

 

As fate would have it, among Winnie's fans were A.A. Milne and his son Christopher Robin. The two became regular visitors and it was Christopher Robin who added "Pooh" to Winnie's name. He got the name from the swan, Pooh, who lived in his backyard at Cotchford Farms. After visiting Winnie in the zoo so many times, Christopher changed his teddy bear’s name, which was Edward Bear to be "Winnie-the-Pooh" . 

 

And the rest is history…

 


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