Alan Alexander Milne was born near Hampstead on 18th January 1882 to John and Sarah Maria Milne. He was educated at Westminster and Trinity College, Cambridge where his literary talents were first discovered as the editor of Granta. From then to Punch as a contributor and then sub-editor. In 1913 he married Dorothy de Selincourt and after the war years when he served for a period on the front A.A. Milne settled down to write a series of children's books which were to establish him as one of England's great writers - "When We Were Very Young", "Winnie-the-Pooh", "Now We Are Six", and "The House at Pooh Corner". He died on 31st January 1956 at Cotchford Farm, Hartfield which had become his home for many years.