A famous Canadian bear

Everyone loves Winnie the Pooh

In 1914, veterinarian and soldier Harry Colebourn was on a train on his way to overseas duty in England. The train made a stop in White River, Ontario (where we also stopped), and Colebourn jumped out at the station to stretch his legs. There, he came across a trapper who was selling an orphaned bear cub. Colebourn paid $20 for the cub, brought her on board the train, and named her Winnie, after his hometown of Winnipeg.

Winnie became the beloved mascot of Colebourn’s calvalry, travelling with them to England. When Colebourn learned he was being sent to France and Winnie could not go along, he decided to leave the friendly bear in the good hands of the London Zoo, where she quickly became one of the star attractions.

One little boy took a special liking to Winnie and visited her regularly with his father, A.A, Milne, in tow. That little boy, Christopher Robin, even named his favourite teddy bear after the much-loved Canadian bear – Winnie-the-Pooh.

And the rest, as they say, is history.