Cyndie Jacobs - The real story behind Winnie the Poo
Introduction by Lois
Cyndie Jacobs is a former teacher, and retired education consultant. She lives in Uxbridge, and is a member of the Uxbridge Rotary club. Cyndie is the Great Niece of Lt. Harry Colebourn, the man who adopted and raised the black bear that went on to inspire A.A. Milne's Winnie the Pooh.
Presentation
Upon the outbreak of World War I in August 1914, Lt. Harry Colebourn of The Fort Garry Horse, a Canadian cavalry regiment, volunteered his service. On 24 August, while en route to Valcartier to report to the Canadian Army Veterinary Corps (CAVC) as part of the Canadian Expeditionary Force, he purchased a young female bear cub for $20 at a train stop in White River, Ontario. The bear's mother was probably killed in the spring of 1914 when the cub was very young and could most easily have become socialized to humans. Colebourn named the bear "Winnipeg", "Winnie" for short, after his home city of Winnipeg, Manitoba. Winnie accompanied him to Valcartier and all the way to England, becoming the mascot of the CAVC and a pet to the Second Canadian Infantry Brigade Headquarters. Before leaving for France, Colebourn left Winnie at London Zoo.
Winnie's eventual destination was to have been the Assiniboine Park Zoo in Winnipeg, but at the end of the War, Colebourn decided to allow Winnie to remain at the London Zoo, where she was much loved for her playfulness and gentleness. Among her fans was A. A. Milne's son Christopher Robin, who consequently changed the name of his own teddy bear from "Edward Bear" to "Winnie the Pooh", providing the inspiration for his father's stories about Winnie-the-Pooh.
Stephen S asked questions of the speaker, and pointed out that he was the only person appropriately dressed for the presentation.
Barb, thanked our speaker.