Diary of Anna Green Winslow, a Boston School Girl of 1771

Step back into colonial Boston through the eyes of a bright ten‑year‑old girl sent from Nova Scotia to finish her education. Her diary, written with earnest care, offers a lively window onto the rhythms of family, school, and community in 1770‑71. The entries capture the ordinary and the extraordinary of a young Puritan’s world.

She records the sparkle of her “pompedore” shoes, towering feathered headpieces, and the newest shifts she proudly shows off, giving listeners a vivid portrait of eighteenth‑century fashion. At the same time she notes sermons, biblical phrases, and lively discussions in the Old South church, revealing a sincere, if sometimes vain, devotion. Between lessons in penmanship and sewing, she masters knitting, lace making, and a bit of dancing, showing the industrious spirit expected of girls of her time.

For modern ears this diary is a rare, intimate snapshot of daily colonial life—its chores, celebrations, and hopes—rendered in the clear, confident hand of a child who loved to write. Listening feels like sharing a private notebook, a glimpse into the world that shaped generations of New England families.