Christopher Robin Milne
Encyclopedia
Christopher Robin Milne (21 August 1920 – 20 April 1996) was the son of author A. A. Milne
. As a child, he was the basis of the character Christopher Robin
in his father's Winnie-the-Pooh
stories and in two books of poems
.
at 8 a.m. to author Alan Alexander Milne and Dorothy Milne (née de Sélincourt). His parents had expected the baby to be a girl, and had chosen the name Rosemary. When it turned out to be a boy, they initially intended to call him Billy, but decided that this would be too informal. They gave him two first names to help distinguish him from other Milnes, each parent choosing a name. Although he was officially named Christopher Robin, his parents often referred to him as "Billy". When he began to talk, he pronounced his surname as Moon instead of Milne. After that, his family would often call him "Billy", "Moon", or "Billy Moon". In later life, he became known as simply "Christopher".
On his first birthday, he received an Alpha Farnell
teddy bear
he called Edward. This bear, along with a real bear named "Winnie" that Milne saw at the London Zoo
, eventually became the inspiration for the character of Winnie-the-Pooh
. The teddy bear was about two feet tall, light in color, frequently losing his eyes, and a fairly constant companion to Milne.
As was customary for upper-class and upper-middle-class children at the time, Milne was reared by a nanny
— Olive Brockwell. Meetings with his parents were restricted to short periods just after breakfast, at tea time, and in the evening, just before he went to bed. As he grew up, he spent more time with them; however, they spent little time together, so Milne divided his own time between his mother and his father.
Time spent with his father led to Milne's love of mathematics and cricket, as well as to their shared pacifism. Though Milne spoke self-deprecatingly of his intellect, referring to himself many times as being "dim", he was intelligent for a boy of his age. The reason for his denial of his intelligence was that he was able to solve complex equations with little or no difficulty but had to concentrate on much simpler ones.
From his mother, Milne acquired a talent for working with his hands. He owned a small tool kit, which he used to take apart the lock on his nursery door when he was seven years old. By the age of 10, he had modified the works of a grandfather clock, and altered a cap gun so that it would shoot real bullets.
: "Hush! Hush! Whisper who dares! Christopher Robin is saying his prayers." Milne therefore grew to resent the attention that his father's success had brought to him.
Milne first attended the Gibbs School, an independent school
in London, in 1929. At the age of nine he went on to Stowe School
, an independent boys' school in Buckinghamshire
, where he learned to box
as a way to defend himself from the taunts of his classmates. In 1939, he won a scholarship
to study English
at Trinity College, Cambridge
.
broke out, Milne left his studies and attempted to join the army, but failed the medical examination. His father used his influence to get Milne a position with the second training battalion of the Royal Engineers
. He received his commission
in July 1942 and was posted to the Middle East
and Italy
.
While serving abroad, he began to resent what he saw as his father's exploitation of his childhood and came to hate the books that had thrust him into the public eye. After being discharged from the army, he went to Cambridge to complete his studies and graduated with a Third Class Honours degree in English.
On 24 July 1948, Milne married his first cousin
, Lesley Sélincourt. His mother disliked the marriage, partly because she did not get along with her brother, Lesley's father Aubrey
. (She had wanted her son to marry his childhood friend, Anne Darlington.) In 1951, Milne and his wife moved to Dartmouth to found the Harbour Bookshop, which turned out to be a success, though Dorothy had thought the decision very odd, inasmuch as Milne did not seem to like "business", and as a bookseller would regularly have to meet Pooh fans. While both of these factors did cause them frustrations, Milne and his wife ran their bookshop for many years without any help from royalties from sales of the Pooh books. He occasionally visited his father after the elder Milne became ill, but once his father died, he did not see his mother during the 15 years that passed before her death; even when she was on her death bed she refused to see her son.
A few months after his father's death in 1956, Christopher's daughter Clare was born, and diagnosed with severe cerebral palsy
. She would later run a charity for the disabled called the Clare Milne Trust.
In 1974, Milne published the first of three autobiographical books. The Enchanted Places gave an account of his childhood and of the problems that he had encountered because of the Pooh books.
Milne gave the original stuffed animals that inspired the Pooh characters to the editor of the books, who in turn donated them to the New York City Public Library; Marjorie Taylor (in her book Imaginary Companions and the Children Who Create Them) recounts how many were disappointed at this, and Milne had to explain that he preferred to concentrate on the things that currently interested him.
and died in his sleep on 20 April 1996. After his death Milne was claimed by one newspaper to have been a "dedicated atheist".
, which features a character who is the son of the author of a famous series of children's books.
A. A. Milne
Alan Alexander Milne was an English author, best known for his books about the teddy bear Winnie-the-Pooh and for various children's poems. Milne was a noted writer, primarily as a playwright, before the huge success of Pooh overshadowed all his previous work.-Biography:A. A...
. As a child, he was the basis of the character Christopher Robin
Christopher Robin
Christopher Robin is a character created by A. A. Milne, appearing in his popular books of poetry and stories about Winnie-the-Pooh. He has subsequently appeared in Disney cartoons....
in his father's Winnie-the-Pooh
Winnie-the-Pooh
Winnie-the-Pooh, also called Pooh Bear, is a fictional anthropomorphic bear created by A. A. Milne. The first collection of stories about the character was the book Winnie-the-Pooh , and this was followed by The House at Pooh Corner...
stories and in two books of poems
When We Were Very Young
When We Were Very Young is a best-selling book of poetry by A. A. Milne. It was first published in 1924, and was illustrated by E. H. Shepard. Several of the verses were set to music by Harold Fraser-Simson...
.
Early life
Christopher Robin Milne was born at 11 Mallord St, Chelsea, LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
at 8 a.m. to author Alan Alexander Milne and Dorothy Milne (née de Sélincourt). His parents had expected the baby to be a girl, and had chosen the name Rosemary. When it turned out to be a boy, they initially intended to call him Billy, but decided that this would be too informal. They gave him two first names to help distinguish him from other Milnes, each parent choosing a name. Although he was officially named Christopher Robin, his parents often referred to him as "Billy". When he began to talk, he pronounced his surname as Moon instead of Milne. After that, his family would often call him "Billy", "Moon", or "Billy Moon". In later life, he became known as simply "Christopher".
J. K. Farnell
John Kirby Farnell or J. K. Farnell was a London company which manufactured the first British teddy bear in 1906.-Beginnings:Founded in Notting Hill, the firm was started in 1840 by a silk merchant, John Kirby Farnell, and made items such as pin cushions and tea cosies...
teddy bear
Teddy bear
The teddy bear is a stuffed toy bear. They are usually stuffed with soft, white cotton and have smooth and soft fur. It is an enduring form of a stuffed animal in many countries, often serving the purpose of entertaining children. In recent times, some teddy bears have become collector's items...
he called Edward. This bear, along with a real bear named "Winnie" that Milne saw at the London Zoo
London Zoo
London Zoo is the world's oldest scientific zoo. It was opened in London on 27 April 1828, and was originally intended to be used as a collection for scientific study. It was eventually opened to the public in 1847...
, eventually became the inspiration for the character of Winnie-the-Pooh
Winnie-the-Pooh
Winnie-the-Pooh, also called Pooh Bear, is a fictional anthropomorphic bear created by A. A. Milne. The first collection of stories about the character was the book Winnie-the-Pooh , and this was followed by The House at Pooh Corner...
. The teddy bear was about two feet tall, light in color, frequently losing his eyes, and a fairly constant companion to Milne.
As was customary for upper-class and upper-middle-class children at the time, Milne was reared by a nanny
Nanny
A nanny, childminder or child care provider, is an individual who provides care for one or more children in a family as a service...
— Olive Brockwell. Meetings with his parents were restricted to short periods just after breakfast, at tea time, and in the evening, just before he went to bed. As he grew up, he spent more time with them; however, they spent little time together, so Milne divided his own time between his mother and his father.
Time spent with his father led to Milne's love of mathematics and cricket, as well as to their shared pacifism. Though Milne spoke self-deprecatingly of his intellect, referring to himself many times as being "dim", he was intelligent for a boy of his age. The reason for his denial of his intelligence was that he was able to solve complex equations with little or no difficulty but had to concentrate on much simpler ones.
From his mother, Milne acquired a talent for working with his hands. He owned a small tool kit, which he used to take apart the lock on his nursery door when he was seven years old. By the age of 10, he had modified the works of a grandfather clock, and altered a cap gun so that it would shoot real bullets.
Schooling
In his childhood, Milne was fond of being associated with his father's books, helping him to write a few of the stories. Once, he went so far as to organize a short play for his parents, reenacting a story about himself and his friends in the woods. However, after starting school, he was mocked by his peers, who recited passages from the books, particularly from the poem VespersWhen We Were Very Young
When We Were Very Young is a best-selling book of poetry by A. A. Milne. It was first published in 1924, and was illustrated by E. H. Shepard. Several of the verses were set to music by Harold Fraser-Simson...
: "Hush! Hush! Whisper who dares! Christopher Robin is saying his prayers." Milne therefore grew to resent the attention that his father's success had brought to him.
Milne first attended the Gibbs School, an independent school
Independent school (UK)
An independent school is a school that is not financed through the taxation system by local or national government and is instead funded by private sources, predominantly in the form of tuition charges, gifts and long-term charitable endowments, and so is not subject to the conditions imposed by...
in London, in 1929. At the age of nine he went on to Stowe School
Stowe School
Stowe School is an independent school in Stowe, Buckinghamshire. It was founded on 11 May 1923 by J. F. Roxburgh, initially with 99 male pupils. It is a member of the Rugby Group and Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference. The school is also a member of the G20 Schools Group...
, an independent boys' school in Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
, where he learned to box
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
as a way to defend himself from the taunts of his classmates. In 1939, he won a scholarship
Scholarship
A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
to study English
English studies
English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language , English linguistics English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language (including literatures from the U.K., U.S.,...
at Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
.
Later life
When World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
broke out, Milne left his studies and attempted to join the army, but failed the medical examination. His father used his influence to get Milne a position with the second training battalion of the Royal Engineers
Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
. He received his commission
Officer (armed forces)
An officer is a member of an armed force or uniformed service who holds a position of authority. Commissioned officers derive authority directly from a sovereign power and, as such, hold a commission charging them with the duties and responsibilities of a specific office or position...
in July 1942 and was posted to the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
While serving abroad, he began to resent what he saw as his father's exploitation of his childhood and came to hate the books that had thrust him into the public eye. After being discharged from the army, he went to Cambridge to complete his studies and graduated with a Third Class Honours degree in English.
On 24 July 1948, Milne married his first cousin
Cousin marriage
Cousin marriage is marriage between two cousins. In various jurisdictions and cultures, such marriages range from being considered ideal and actively encouraged, to being uncommon but still legal, to being seen as incest and legally prohibited....
, Lesley Sélincourt. His mother disliked the marriage, partly because she did not get along with her brother, Lesley's father Aubrey
Aubrey de Selincourt
Aubrey de Sélincourt was an English writer, classical scholar and translator. Educated at the Dragon School and Rugby School, he won an open classical scholarship to University College, Oxford...
. (She had wanted her son to marry his childhood friend, Anne Darlington.) In 1951, Milne and his wife moved to Dartmouth to found the Harbour Bookshop, which turned out to be a success, though Dorothy had thought the decision very odd, inasmuch as Milne did not seem to like "business", and as a bookseller would regularly have to meet Pooh fans. While both of these factors did cause them frustrations, Milne and his wife ran their bookshop for many years without any help from royalties from sales of the Pooh books. He occasionally visited his father after the elder Milne became ill, but once his father died, he did not see his mother during the 15 years that passed before her death; even when she was on her death bed she refused to see her son.
A few months after his father's death in 1956, Christopher's daughter Clare was born, and diagnosed with severe cerebral palsy
Cerebral palsy
Cerebral palsy is an umbrella term encompassing a group of non-progressive, non-contagious motor conditions that cause physical disability in human development, chiefly in the various areas of body movement....
. She would later run a charity for the disabled called the Clare Milne Trust.
In 1974, Milne published the first of three autobiographical books. The Enchanted Places gave an account of his childhood and of the problems that he had encountered because of the Pooh books.
Milne gave the original stuffed animals that inspired the Pooh characters to the editor of the books, who in turn donated them to the New York City Public Library; Marjorie Taylor (in her book Imaginary Companions and the Children Who Create Them) recounts how many were disappointed at this, and Milne had to explain that he preferred to concentrate on the things that currently interested him.
Death
Milne lived for some years with myasthenia gravisMyasthenia gravis
Myasthenia gravis is an autoimmune neuromuscular disease leading to fluctuating muscle weakness and fatiguability...
and died in his sleep on 20 April 1996. After his death Milne was claimed by one newspaper to have been a "dedicated atheist".
Influence
Milne's resentment over his father's incorporation of him into the Pooh stories served as one of the influences for the Vertigo comics series The UnwrittenThe Unwritten
The Unwritten is an American comic book ongoing series written by Mike Carey with art by Peter Gross and published by the Vertigo imprint of DC Comics. The book follows Tom Taylor, who was the inspiration for a series of hugely successful children's fantasy novels in the vein of Harry Potter...
, which features a character who is the son of the author of a famous series of children's books.