This is a photograph of Harry Colebourn with Winnie in 1914. A.A. Milne named his Winnie the Pooh character after this bear. Harry Colebourn bought this adorable black bear for only $20 while he was in White River, Ontario, Canada. He named the bear Winnie after his adopted hometown in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Once Lieutenant Colebourn was in London with Winnie, he decided to leave Winnie at the London Zoo as he and his unit had to go to France. Colebourn later donated the bear to the zoo. Winnie was a very popular bear in London. A.A. Milne enjoyed visiting him at the zoo with his son, Christopher. Sometimes Milne's Winnie the Pooh character is simply called Pooh. Here is the explanation Milne gave: "But his arms were so stiff... they stayed up straight in the air for more than a week, and whenever a fly came and settled on his nose he had to blow it off. And I think - but am not sure- that THAT is why he is always called Pooh." I was delighted to learn this information while visiting the Winnipeg Zoo last summer while on vacation with my husband.
Me with Winnie and Lieutenant Colebourn in Winnipeg
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