Paddington Bear & Paddington Station

Paddington Bear came from Peru but was left behind lost at Paddington Station London presumably originally en route for Heathrow Airport. He was found by Mr and Mrs Brown and the rest is history. More information

In fact a bear bought at Selfridges Store in Oxford Street by Mrs Brenda Bond became the inspiration for Mr Michael Bond to write the stories. These were first published in October 1958 by William Collins with illustrations by Peggy Fortnum.

There have been books, Cartoon strips, Radio programmes, animated films on TV and two  full length movie films. More Information.

Paddington Bear had tea with Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II as part of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations in 2022.

Paddington Bear is a star. Surely even Isambard Kingdom Brunel would have approved, by the way he built the Station and the Railway.

The first soft toy Paddington bear was designed by Shirley Clarkson for her children one of whom was to become the ‘controversial’ motoring correspondent Jeremy Clarkson. She was granted an official licence in 1972.

Selfridges opened a Paddington Bear Shop on October 20th 2014.

A trail of 50 Statues of Paddington Bear were set up around London and in particular Paddington Station ahead of the first film launch. One remains outside the station beside the Paddington Basin Canal.

An Exhibition on the history of Paddington Bear has been opened since November 14th 2014 at the Museum of London. More information.


Soft Toys

Teddy Bears for everyone, a cuddly remembrance of London. Some Teddy Bears are famous like Rupert Bear and Paddington Bear. Teddy Bears are so called because of former US President Theodore ‘Teddy’ Roosevelt.

The Ideal Novelty and Toy Corporation and became the first company to produce teddy bears in USA while the Steiff Company of Giengen produced its first jointed stuffed bears during the same 1902-1903 period. Steiff teddy bears were first introduced at the 1903 Leipzig Fair, where an American buyer saw them and ordered 3,000 for shipment to the US. Europe was a bit slower to catch on to the teddy bear craze.

Rupert Bear from Nutford a fictional English village is a children’s comic strip character created by the English artist Mary Tourtel and first appearing in the Daily Express newspaper on 8 November 1920 and subsequently was published in books.

Isambad  Kingdom Brunel and Paddington Bear Statues at Paddington Station

Winnie the Pooh or Pooh Bear is a fictional bear created by the writer AE Milne. The first Winnie the Pooh book was published in 1924 with illustrations by A E Shepard. Pooh bear has a large bunch of animal friends. The books have been translated into many languages but is probably the only fictional Bear book translated and published in Latin. Disney’s Winnie the Pooh.

Paddington Bear from Peru and found at Paddington Station was first published in October 1958 by William Collins story writer Michael Bond with illustrations by Peggy Fortnum.

The Dorset Teddy Bear Museum was set up in 1906.

Lambert Souvenirs sell a variety of soft toy Bears in various guises-Policeman, Royal Guard and Beefeater as well as Paddington. We also sell Monkey Soft toys and in our shop sometimes Dog Soft Toys as well as various Rodent Soft toys.