News Release Archive
NS MUSEUMS--TEDDY BEARS AHOY-MARITIME MUSEUM OF THE ATLANTIC ----------------------------------------------------------------- Teddy bears, constant companions or bed decorations, have charmed people of all ages for almost a hundred years. This month visitors to the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic in Halifax can see hundreds of teddy bears romping on an imaginary high seas in the special holiday-season exhibit "Teddy Bears AHOY". Early in November the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic invited Nova Scotians to send their bears on a "high seas adventure". The museum wanted to borrow as many bears as possible for a December exhibit. Hundreds of people around Nova Scotia from Yarmouth to Musquodoboit Harbour to Kentville arrived at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic to register their bears. Bear-lovers from as far away as Yellowknife answered the call. For the next month, most of the 550 teddy bears will live on a model of a sailing ship. Bear owners may also find their bears hanging on to the seven-foot bear-tree. So what exactly are 550 teddy bears doing at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic? "We knew that teddy bears were connected to the sea. Once we started this program we realized just how close the connection is," said the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic's Gerry Lunn. "The bear stories our lenders told us reinforced that tight relationship." Teddy bears and the sea go back many years. Toy bears became popular at the beginning of the century. The only way to cross oceans then was by ship. Countless teddy bears have crossed oceans around the world giving their owners comfort, security and companionship. One almost sad marine bear story is Polar. In 1912 a stuffed bear named Polar and his master, Douglas Spedden sailed on the ill-fated Titanic. The best friends were separated the night the ship went down when sailors on the Carpathia pulled Polar and Douglas's lifeboat to safety. Douglas' parents found him a replacement bear; but it didn't work. But there was a happy ending. Polar was reunited with Douglas later during the journey home and Douglas never set him down again. Douglas' mother wrote Polar's story and it was published as a popular children's book. Many bear lenders at the Maritime Museum told stories of their favourite teddy bears and the sea. One teddy bear has been so loved he is made almost entirely of patches. Rupert is over 90 years old and sailed to Canada with his owner aboard the Aquitania in 1946. Visitors to the museum can not only see Rupert, but can also see photos and artifacts from the Aquitania. Violet Bragg tells how when she was younger she and her beloved bear often went down to the Halifax harbour. One day while she was peering into the water her little brown teddy bear slipped from her grasp. Violet watched helplessly as he spiralled down to the bottom. Now, 60 years later she still collects teddy bears. She gave the museum a new bear to be donated to the IWK at the end of the exhibit in memory or her irreplaceable friend. Some famous bears also went on sea voyages. The original Winnie, a brown bear cub, made a sea-voyage from his home in Ontario to England. A.A. Milne's son, who always carried a stuffed bear named Pooh Bear, became Winnie's fast friend and even visited the bear inside the cage at the London zoo. Thus the famous Winnie-the-Pooh was created. During bear registration at the museum one man, dressed in a suit and carrying a brief case, turned to wave good-bye to his old companion and called across the room in a booming voice, "Bye Buddy! Have a good time!" A six-year old girl brought two bears, one to lend, the other to hang-on to. Sometimes it is too hard to part. As Gerry Lunn's younger son said, "Dad, you can take any other bears, but there's no way my favourites are leaving this house." Throughout the month of December lenders and visitors can visit the bears and take part in teddy bear activities, and Gerry Lunn is expecting a few return trips. "I'm positive some people are going to be back more than once. People love this idea. We've gotten a great enthusiastic response." -30- Contact: Gerry Lunn 902-424-8793 trp Dec. 2, 1996 - 9 a.m.