Winifred Bear

Winifred Bear was one of the contributors to Robin Annual 3, presumably writing a text story, although it remains unidentified.

Winifred Edith Bear was born in Tendring, Essex, on 25 June 1908 and lived with Fras. Arthur Bear at Dale View, Hove, for many years; I presume this was her brother as Bear was her maiden name. He is thought to have died around 1969 and Winifred continued to live in Hove until her death in 1980.

She was a semi-prolific writer of girls' stories whose work appeared in various magazines and annuals. I first stumbled upon her name in various Gerald G. Swan wartime publications such as Fairies, Girls' Fun, Schoolgirls Pocket Library, Schoolgirls Short Stories and various annuals. Winifred Aber and Wilfred Aber are fairly transparent pseudonyms, the latter used for boys' stories and non-fiction. Her work pre-dates Swan and she had a number of articles and stories in Girls' Own Paper in the mid-1930s. I've patched together a short bibliography of her work but I'm sure that many more stories remain to be discovered lurking in annuals from Dean, Birn, Juvenile Productions and others.

Novels
The 'Hunches' of Harriet. London, Gerald G. Swan (Schoolgirls' Pocket Library 12), 1942.
Mystery at Llanfychen. London, Gerald G. Swan (Schoolgirls' Pocket Library 15), 1942.
The Challenge of Gwilym. London, Gerald G. Swan (Schoolgirls' Pocket Library 24), 1946.
Duel Control at St. Chad's. London, Gerald G. Swan (Schoolgirls' Pocket Library 27), 1950.

Non-fiction
All About Dogs. London & Glasgow, Collins, 1941.

Short Stories
The Thief (Girl's Own Paper, v.54, p.71)
The Feeble Boy from Next Door (Girl's Own Paper, v.54, p.477)
The Farm by the Billabong (Champion Book for Girls, London, Dean, 1940s)
The Impertinent Tennis Star (Splendid Book for Girls, London, Birn, 1940s)
The House of the Screaming Portrait (Schoolgirl Short Stories 1, Feb 1945)
The Knot-Tying Prince of Tripona (Fairies Album 1946, 1945)
The Laughing Ghost of Garryoaks (Schoolgirl Short Stories 2, Mar 1946)
Ghost of the Gorge (Schoolgirl Short Stories 4, Jul 1946)
The Two A's of Three B (Schoolgirl Short Stories 4, Jul 1946)
Something Remarkable (Girls' Fun, Dec 1946)
Spot(s) Light on Hester (Girls' Fun, 1 Mar 1947)
The 'Monoplane Man' Mystery' (Girls' Fun Bumper Number, Apr 1948)
Land of the Pixies (Fairies Album 1949, London, Swan, 1948)
A Queer Customer (Scramble, Apr 1949)
Sheer Funk (Girls' Fun, Jun 1949)
The Stuffy Swatter (Girls' Fun, Jul 1949)
Three Was Company (Schoolgirls' Album 1950, 1949)
Great-Grandma's Centenary [by W.B.] (Schoolgirls' Album 1950, 1949)
Marjory's Birthday (Girls' Fun, Oct 1949)
Next-Door Namesake (Girls' Fun, Oct 1949)
Wanted: An 'Ugly Sister' (Girls' Fun, Dec 1949)
Macky's Madness (Girls' Fun, serial, 2pts., Jan-Feb 1950)
Buttons from Bits (Girls' Fun Annual 1951, London, Swan, Sep 1950)
Granny's Gold Locket (Girls' Fun Annual 1951, London, Swan, Sep 1950)
Land of the Pixies (Fairies Album 1950?, 1949?)
That Awful Gissing Girl (The Book for Girls, London, Juvenile Productions, 1950s?)

Short Stories as Wilfred Aber
Liza Longlegs (Girls' Fun, Jun 1949)
Guaranteed Genuine (Scramble, 12 May 1950)

Short Stories as Winifred Aber
The Girl on the Boy's Side (Girls' Fun, Nov 1946; reprinted in Girls' Fun Annual 1957, London, Swan, Sep 1956)
Saturday Afternoon [by W. Aber] (Schoolgirls' Album 1950, 1949)
Romany... and Blackberry Pie (Schoolgirls' Album 1950, 1949)

Non-fiction
Catering as a Career (Girl's Own Paper, v.54, p.13)
Give Your Friends a Scottish Tea! (Girl's Own Paper, v.54, p.337)
If You Go Camping (Girl's Own Paper, v.54, p.495)
Model Meals (Girl's Own Paper, v.55, p.135)
Bubble Ping-Pong (Girl's Own Paper, v.55, p.394)
Bird Cafeteria (Girl's Own Paper, v.56, p.205)
Hot and Tasty! (Girl's Own Paper, v.56, p.265)
Diet Without Tears (Girl's Own Paper, v.56, p.431)
Start Cold Baths Now! (Girl's Own Paper, v.57, p.336)
Look at Your Shoes (Girl's Own Paper, v.58, p.492)
Oil of Gold (Girl's Own Paper, v.60, p.130)
Long Tails and Short (Girl's Own Paper, v.62, p.236)
Little Ladybirds (Schoolgirls' Album 1950, 1949)

Non-fiction as Wilfred Aber
Wassailing the Apple Trees: A West Country Custom (Boy's Own Paper, Jan 1936)
Locking Up the Tower: Ancient Ceremony of the Keys (Boy's Own Paper, Jul 1936)
Isles Without Coal (Boy's Own Paper, Oct 1936)
Hats in History (Boy's Own Paper, May 1937)
The Christmas Log (Boy's Own Paper, Dec 1939)