13th January: Happy birthday Michael Bond, Paddington Bear creator

Today is the birthday of Michael Bond, who created Paddington Bear. The first book was published in 1958. Here are some things about Paddington Bear that you may not know:

1. Paddington has only two known relatives. Aunt Lucy, who lives in the Home for Retired Bears in Lima, and Uncle Pastuzo, who gave Paddington his hat. He was raised by his Aunt Lucy after his parents were killed in an earthquake.
2. Paddington Bear's full name is Paddington Brown, because he was adopted by the Brown family after they found him at Paddington Station. He tells the Browns that no-one could understand his Peruvian name; which is eventually revealed as "Pastuso".
3. The Brown family's address is 32 Windsor Gardens. In real life, there is a Windsor Gardens near Notting Hill and Maida Vale in London, but there is no number 32.
4. Paddington is a stowaway from "Darkest Peru". Bond originally intended him to come from "Darkest Africa", but he changed it when his agent told him there were no bears in Africa.
5. The inspiration for the character was the last teddy on the shelf in a shop near the station on Christmas Eve, 1956. Michael Bond bought it and gave it to his wife for Christmas.
6. The label on Paddington's suitcase reads "Wanted on Voyage" and the label attached to his coat reads "Please look after this bear. Thank you." The inspiration for this came from newsreels of children being evacuated from London during World War II.
7. Paddington's favourite food is marmalade sandwiches, but in 2007, as part of an advertising campaign, he was persuaded to try Marmite and cheese instead, and thought it was "rather good" - but marmalade remains his favourite!
8. In a 2008 story Paddington Here and Now, Paddington faced immigration issues when it was discovered he was an illegal immigrant from Darkest Peru.
9. Paddington himself became a stuffed toy in 1972, manufactured by Shirley and Eddie Clarkson. The toy bears wear Wellington boots with paw prints on the soles. The toys were given boots, not because Paddington was especially famous for wearing them, but because they helped the toys stand upright.
10. Paddington Bear is the official mascot of the children's charity, Action Medical Research.