Happy Birthday A.A. Milne

Beloved author A.A. Milne was born on the 18th of January 1882, in Kilburn London.

Milne is most famous for his two Winnie-The-Pooh books about a boy named Christopher Robin after his son, and various characters inspired by his son's toy animals. Christopher Robin Milne's stuffed bear, originally named "Edward" was renamed "Winnie-the-Pooh" after a Canadian black bear named Winnie (after Winnipeg), which was used as a military mascot in World War I, and left to London Zoo during the war. "The pooh" comes from a swan they used to called "Pooh". E. H. Shepard illustrated the original Pooh books, using his own son's teddy, Growler ("a magnificent bear"), as the model. Christopher Robin Milne's own toys are now under glass in New York.

I think everyone has a soft-spot for these stories, they are absolutely charming.

Happy Birthdays Mr Milne!



"He nodded and went out ...and in a moment I heard Winnie-the-Pooh
– bump, bump, bump – going up the stairs behind him."



..."What do you see there?"
"Tracks," said Piglet. "Paw-marks..."
Oh, Pooh! Do you thinks it's a – a – a Woozle?



The original 100 acre wood map



On the way to "Pooh-Stick Bridge" in the Ashdown Forest




Christopher Robin's original toys, now kept in the New York Public Library.




"If you live to be 100, I hope I live to be 100 minus 1 day, so I never have to live without you."