English Faculty and Student play key roles in the "Remembering the Real Winnie" Exhibit
An exhibition (5 November-7 December 2014) at the Ryerson Image Centre (opens in new window) , 鈥淩emembering the Real Winnie: The World鈥檚 Most Famous Bear Turns 100,鈥� commemorates the centenary of the WWI by exploring the Canadian military origins of A. A. Milne鈥檚 celebrated character, Winnie-the-Pooh. The exhibition, Guest Curated by Dr. Irene Gammel of the English Department and Modern Literature and Culture Research Centre (opens in new window) , features the diaries, photographs, and medical bag belonging to Canadian soldier and veterinarian Lt. Harry Colbourn, who purchased, named, brought overseas to England, and later donated to the London zoo Winnie the black bear, who became a star attraction at the zoo and the inspiration for A. A. Milne鈥檚 most famous fictional bear. The exhibition also features early editions of Milne鈥檚 children鈥檚 books, loaned by the . English BA student Rachel Kearney helped develop the narrative for the that serves as an online accompaniment to the exhibition. Dr. Andrew O'Malley of the English Department, a specialist in children's literature, and Director of Ryerson's Children's Literature Archive, contributed an essay on Winnie's formative role in the creation of the Winnie-the-Pooh books to the exhibition's .