Paddington Bear

Paddington Bear statue at Paddington station.

This statue of Paddington Bear, at Paddington station, is a bronze sculpture by Marcus Cornish. Considering Paddington Bear has been around since 1958 the statue wasn't erected until 2000.

The origins of London's most famous 'fictional' bear, Paddington, began in 1958, when Michael Bond wrote 'A Bear Called Paddington'. He had been shopping and seen a lone teddy bear, in a London shop, "looking forlorn", and based Paddington on him. It took Michael Bond just 10 days to write the first story.

Michael Bond remembered watching newsreels of children being evacuated, during World War II, who had labels around their necks, carrying bags containing their possessions, which gave him the inspiration for the style.

Paddington Bear plaque at Paddington station.

The first story, 'A Bear Called Paddington', sees the Brown family arriving at Paddington station and discovering the bear, sitting on his suitcase with a note attached to his coat that read , 'Please look after this bear. Thank you'. The Browns are unable to pronounce the bear's name in its bear language, so, they call him Paddington, as that is where they found him.

Originally, Paddington was to have "travelled from darkest Africa", but, as his agent pointed out, there are no bears in Africa, so he changed it to "darkest Peru", where the spectacled bear comes from. It is Paddington's Aunt Lucy who sends Paddington to London, as a stowaway, after his uncle Pastuzo has moved to a Home for Retired Bears, in Lima. Paddington tells them, "I came in a lifeboat and ate marmalade. Bears like marmalade."

32 Windsor Gardens, from 'Paddington' (2014).

So, the Brown family, that includes the parents, Henry and Mary, and their children, Jonathan and Judy, take Paddington home to 32 Windsor Gardens.

Paddington was always polite, addressing everyone with their title, but hardly ever using their first name. He also had a capacity to innocently get himself into trouble, while trying so hard to do things right.

However, those who incurred his disapproval would be met with one of his special 'hard stares'.

Erin and Keilyn sitting with Paddington.

Paddington Bear has appeared in 29 books, from 1958-2018, an adapted TV series, from 1976-1980, commercials and, as of writing, three films: 'Paddington' (2014), 'Paddington 2' (2017) and 'Paddington in Peru' (2024). In 'Paddington' (2014) Michael Bond has a brief cameo as a customer at a cafe, waving at Paddington as he goes by in a black taxi.

When the two sides of the Channel Tunnel were linked, in 1994, the British tunnellers chose a Paddington Bear stuffed toy to be the first object passed through.

In 2022, Paddington Bear met Queen Elizabeth II for tea, at Buckingham Palace, which was filmed as a segment for the 'Platinum Party at the Palace', to celebrate Queen Elizabeth IIs Platinum Jubilee.

Keilyn with the Paddington statue in Leicester Square.

In 1972, Gabrielle Designs made the first Paddington Bear stuffed toy, as Michael Bond had awarded the small family business the licensing of the toy rights throughout the world.

Gabrielle Designs eventually sold the rights to Hamley's, Britain's, and the world's, oldest store shop.

Paddington frequented Portobello Road, where he was known to drive a hard bargain..

Since the stories were published, Paddington has travelled all over London, meaning that there are countless sites to visit and statues to find, with tour guides who specialise in everything Paddington Bear.

So, if you are a fan of Paddington Bear and his stories, there are plenty of locations to seek out, the next time you are in London.