Mary Williams Trout: Diaries of a Small Town Lady
The compelling story of a small town lady, Mary Williams Trout (1847 – 1922) of Meaford, is told through 26 of her personal diaries (from the Grey County Archives Collection), spanning from 1867 to 1920. From her days as a school teacher, through her marriage and the First World War, these diaries are an excellent record of Mary’s life and a fine first-hand, primary-resource account of small town living from a woman’s perspective. Trout documents such topics as her religious life, her husband and children, local business, the talks and events she attends, when the train gets stuck, Christmas shopping, diphtheria deaths, what people do for recreation and amusement and how they travel.
Each diary has been digitized and transcribed, leaving the original handwriting intact while providing easy to read text. The diaries are also fully searchable for those looking for specific names, places, topics, or events. To view the text transcriptions download a diary, click on the "+" under the word "Layers," then click on the "eye-ball" icon next to the word "Handwriting."
Further Reading:
~Biography of a Small Town Lady ~A Brief History of Meaford ~Teacher's Programming
View the diaries:
~ Diary 1 - 1867 ~ Diary 2 - 1888 ~ Diary 3 - 1889 ~ Diary 4 - 1890
(.pdf - 5.90 MB) (.pdf - 9.41 MB) (.pdf - 9.37 MB) (.pdf - 10.34 MB)
Summary Summary
(.pdf - 9.71 KB) (.pdf - 7.08 KB)
~ Diary 5 - 1891 ~ Diary 6 - 1895 ~ Diary 7 - 1897 ~ Diary 8 - 1898
(.pdf - 11.96 MB) (.pdf - 12.83 MB) (.pdf - 9.90 MB) (.pdf - 9.92 MB)
Summary Summary Summary Summary
(.pdf - 9.84 KB) (.pdf - 10.58 KB) (.pdf - 9.67 KB) (.pdf - 13.00 KB)
~ Diary 9 - 1899 ~ Diary 10 - 1901 ~ Diary 11 - 1903 ~ Diary 12 - 1904
(.pdf - 9.35 MB) (.pdf - 8.51 MB) (.pdf - 7.92 MB) (.pdf - 7.56 MB)
Summary Summary Summary Summary
(.pdf - 12.70 KB) (.pdf - 11.72 KB) (.pdf - 22.33 KB) (.pdf - 12.74 KB)
~ Diary 13 - 1905 ~ Diary 14 - 1906 ~ Diary 15 - 1907 ~ Diary 16 - 1908
(.pdf - 8.66 MB) (.pdf - 9.45 MB) (.pdf - 9.78 MB) (.pdf - 10.75 MB)
Summary Summary Summary Summary
(.pdf - 9.50 KB) (.pdf - 19.76 KB) (.pdf - 12.55 KB) (.pdf - 13.99 KB)
~ Diary 17 - 1909 ~ Diary 18 - 1911 ~ Diary 19 - 1912 ~ Diary 20 - 1913
(.pdf - 10.29 MB) (.pdf - 9.44 MB) (.pdf - 10.07 MB) (.pdf - 9.78 MB)
Summary Summary Summary Summary
(.pdf - 15.81 KB) (.pdf - 10.48 KB) (.pdf - 11.65 KB) (.pdf - 11.24 KB)
~ Diary 21 - 1914 ~ Diary 22 - 1915 ~ Diary 23 - 1916 ~ Diary 24 - 1917
(.pdf - 9.84 MB) (.pdf - 9.65 MB) (.pdf - 9.14 MB) (.pdf - 9.81 MB)
Summary Summary Summary
(.pdf - 16.27 KB) (.pdf - 13.99 KB) (.pdf - 17.31 KB)
~ Diary 25 - 1919 ~ Diary 26 - 1920
(.pdf - 10.17 MB) (.pdf - 11.77 MB)
Summary
(.pdf - 14.97 KB)
This project was made possible in part through the Canadian Culture Online Program of Canadian Heritage, Library and Archives Canada and the Canadian Council of Archives. We are also appreciative of local sponsorship from the Grey County Historical Society.
