Pershore Heritage and History Society

For this months talk we did not have "to go down to the woods" the Teddy Bears came to us with Janis Waldron who gave us an informative talk on the history of the Teddy Bear which in 2012 was a 110 years old. The first manufacturer was Steiff founded in the 1800's who first made elephants clothing and stuffed toys, Janis told us how the style of bear developed and how at a 1902 trade fair no bears were sold, but later an American company ordered 3,000 for sale in the USA. The well known connection of Teddy Roosevelt out hunting drawn in a cartoon with a "Teddy Bear" in the corner started at the same time. We were told how Jeremy Clarkson's mother designed Paddington Bear and others did such as Pudsey Bear Winnie the Pooh etc. The price of special bears is amazing rising over the years to £130,000 in year 2000 for a Happy Bear by Steiff. Janis was thanked by Edward Hird for bringing all her "friends" and giving us a memory prompting talk