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Paddington Bear

Michael Bond bought a single unsold bear from a shop near Paddington station on Christmas Eve 1956 as a present for his wife, and wrote the first story about it over the following days. The character that emerged is explicitly a refugee — found at a railway station with a label asking that he be looked after, an image Bond drew directly from the evacuee children he had seen leaving London during the war, and from newsreel of Jewish children arriving on the Kindertransport.

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Picture Book ClassicsDebut 1958bookstelevisionanimationfilm

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First appearance
A Bear Called Paddington (1958), William Collins & Sons
Created by
Michael Bond, Peggy Fortnum
Also known as
Paddington, Paddington Brown
Universe
Paddington
Appears in
books, television, animation, film

Who is Paddington Bear?

Michael Bond bought a single unsold bear from a shop near Paddington station on Christmas Eve 1956 as a present for his wife, and wrote the first story about it over the following days. The character that emerged is explicitly a refugee — found at a railway station with a label asking that he be looked after, an image Bond drew directly from the evacuee children he had seen leaving London during the war, and from newsreel of Jewish children arriving on the Kindertransport. That origin is not subtext; Bond confirmed it repeatedly. What makes the stories work is the gap between the character's unfailing politeness and the chaos he causes, and what makes the 2014 and 2017 films unusually well regarded is that they took the immigration reading entirely seriously without abandoning the comedy.

Paddington Bear: the details

First appearance
A Bear Called Paddington, October 1958
Created by
Written by Michael Bond and illustrated by Peggy Fortnum
Origin of the idea
Bond bought a lone unsold bear near Paddington station on Christmas Eve 1956
Explicitly a refugee
Bond drew directly on wartime evacuees and on newsreel of Kindertransport children arriving in Britain
The label
His luggage tag asks that he be looked after — the story's central image
Marmalade
A running fixture of the books, and the source of most of the trouble he causes
The films
The 2014 and 2017 adaptations were unusually well reviewed and took the immigration reading seriously

Why Paddington Bear endures

One of the most enduring characters in British children's literature and an unusually direct fictional treatment of refugee arrival, written by an author who confirmed the connection throughout his life.

What Paddington Bear looks like on a shirt

Signature motif: The blue duffel coat, red bush hat, and a suitcase with a luggage label

The blue-coat-and-red-hat combination identifies him with no face required, and the luggage label bearing his request is one of the most quotable graphic devices in children's literature — it works as a standalone typographic design.

Blue coat and red hat identify him with no face required. The luggage label is one of the best typographic devices in children's literature and works as a standalone design. Suits navy, cream and oatmeal rather than black. Strong across kids and adult nostalgia sizing.

Paddington Bear T-shirts

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Price and availability are taken from Amazon at the time shown and can change. The price on Amazon at the time of purchase applies.

Sizes: kids to adult

These links run a live Amazon search for Paddington Bear shirts in each US size band. Amazon shows what is currently listed; availability in a particular size is confirmed on the product page, not here.

BandAgesUS sizesSearch
Toddler 2–4 years 2T, 3T, 4T Search toddler sizes
Kids 4–7 years XS (4/5), S (6/7) Search kids sizes
Youth 8–14 years M (8), L (10/12), XL (14/16) Search youth sizes
Adult 15+ S–3XL Search adult sizes

US sizing shown. Cut and measurement vary between brands — see the size guide before ordering, especially for youth sizes. Base search: Paddington Bear t-shirt.

Who has played Paddington Bear

PerformerProductionYearType
Ben WhishawPaddington2014Voice
Michael HordernPaddington1975Voice

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Paddington Bear T-shirts: common questions

Who created Paddington Bear?

Paddington Bear was created by Michael Bond and Peggy Fortnum, first appearing in A Bear Called Paddington in 1958 (William Collins & Sons).

What does a Paddington Bear T-shirt usually look like?

The blue duffel coat, red bush hat, and a suitcase with a luggage label. Blue coat and red hat identify him with no face required. The luggage label is one of the best typographic devices in children's literature and works as a standalone design. Suits navy, cream and oatmeal rather than black. Strong across kids and adult nostalgia sizing.

Are Paddington Bear T-shirts made for children?

Yes — Paddington Bear appears on our kids pages, and shirts are commonly made from US toddler 2T up through youth XL.

Who has played Paddington Bear?

Paddington Bear has been voiced by Ben Whishaw (Paddington, 2014), Michael Hordern (Paddington, 1975).

How much does a Paddington Bear T-shirt cost?

Paddington Bear shirts we currently track start from around $16.99 on amazon.com. Every price on this page is dated, because they move.

This profile was compiled from published reference material about Paddington Bear — first appearance, creator credits and production history — and is a secondary source rather than a substitute for the original publication. Where a detail could not be corroborated it has been left out. We do not physically test garments; see how we work for what that means and what it does not.

Reference. This profile was compiled from published sources. For the character's full publication history see Wikipedia (Wikidata Q632908). Our method and limitations are stated in full.

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