Anne Venn

Venn was born to John Venn and his wife; she was baptised in 1627. She had Puritan parents and she was a God-fearing woman. She worried that she may not be "saved" and she poured her concerns into a secret diary.^[1] She started the diary when she was nine years old.^[2] When her father died in June 1650, Venn saw this as proof that she was damned and her diary continues to document her continued damnation.^[2]

In 1652 Isaac Knight formed an independent church in Fulham and amongst the congregation was Venn and her mother.^[1]

Venn died in Kensington leaving £867 to Isaac Knight, other divines, religious charities and her mother. Her diary continued until very near her death despite her having written a will in November.^[1]

In 1658 her mother's husband, Thomas Weld, arranged for Venn's diary to be published. The book had an introduction by Isaac Knight. The book was titled A Wise Virgin's Lamp Burning. The diary now serves as an interesting insight into religious beliefs and of illegal religious gatherings in the 1630s.^[2]