A LOCAL historian has discovered that Winnie the Pooh’s creator AA Milne had strong family links to Dunmanway – as the world gets ready to celebrate Winnie the Pooh Day tomorrow.
Researcher Michelle O’Mahony this week confirmed that AA Milne – who created the much-loved books on Winnie’s adventures – has close family members buried in the town’s aSt Joseph’s cemetery at Ballyhalwick.
Milne’s son Christopher Robin – a major inspiration for the books – has two uncles buried at the cemetery – Guy and Geoffrey de Selincourt.
Michelle says the graves – which she had passed regularly herself when visiting the resting place of her own family members – have been largely unvisited for the past 50 years, with the exception of one or two locals who remembered the men, but may not have made the connection with Winnie the Pooh.
‘Having read bedtime stories of the Pooh’s adventures, I could hear Winnie’s voice in my head with his catchphrases like ‘Isn’t there anybody there at all?’ or ‘Oh My! It seems we’ve found them!’ It was a case of “Oh My” indeed when I discovered the background to these graves. I wondered if the characters of Tigger, Eeyore, Kanga and Owl were looking down on me!’
As January 18th is the birthdate of Milne, it has been declared Winnie the Pooh Day around the world, so Michelle’s discovery this week is very timely.
Michelle explains the connections she uncovered: ‘Alan Alexander Milne married Dorothy de Selincourt in 1913 and Dorothy (often called Daphne) de Selincourt had several siblings. Two of these siblings – Guy and Geoffrey – somehow ended up in Dunmanway,’ she explained, exclusively, to The Southern Star today.
Michelle is still working on the story of how the men came to be in West Cork, but from her research it appears they spent their retirement years in Dunmanway, along with friends who appear to have served in the military. ‘They had a slightly unusual grave arrangement that had me curious for about 30 years. So, following the trail, a quest began that took me to my own Hundred Acre Wood – losing my thoughts in what became the historian’s discovery.’
The de Selincourt grave at the cemetery in Dunmanway.Michelle says that Guy de Selincourt was born in approximately 1902 and he stood out for her specifically – maybe because he was also an historian, and an illustrator.
Guy was also a sailor, and in Dunmanway it was noted that he was taller than his brother Geoffrey – who, also quite tall, was a painter, and also living locally.
‘Many of the de Selincourt siblings were involved in WW1 and served in the main theatres of War, including the Somme and Galipoli. Guy’s other sibling Aubrey, who lived in the UK, was also a noted writer and Guy had illustrated his books,’ said Michelle.
Aubrey – well known in his own right – is chiefly remembered for his translations of books on Herodotus and Alexander the Great.
Michelle O'Mahony, right, with Dunmanway library officer Tjorven Deane getting the library windows ready to celebrate Winnie the Pooh Day this Saturday.
‘A curious irony, though, is that when I searched many online sources and family trees, many do not have a date or place of death for Dorothy’s brother Guy,’ remarked Michelle. ‘At least now that piece of the puzzle has been found.’
Dunmanway Library is now preparing its windows to celebrate Winnie the Pooh Day on Saturday along with a series of events throughout the year in relation to this very famous bear and his friend Christopher Robin – who was named after Milne’s own son.
Library officer Tjorven Deane said the library was delighted with this local discovery. 'This will be a great opportunity to get children reading and I am looking forward to creating future events with this in mind,’ said Tjorven.
Michelle says she will be posting more information on the family in the forthcoming weeks on her blog at www.omhistoryconsultant.ie
Winnie takes pride of place with his uncle's books in Dunmanway library.
