Who was Samuel Pepys?
Diarist and Government Official.
Date and Place of Birth:
23rd February 1633, Salisbury Court, London,
between Fleet Street and the River Thames, England.
Family
Background:
Born over his father’s tailor’s shop.
Education:
Huntingdon Free School. (formerly attended by
Oliver Cromwell) St. Paul's School and
Trinity Hall, London. Magdalene College, Cambridge.
Chronology/Biography
of Samuel Pepys:
Family moved to Brampton in Cambridgeshire as
they feared the plague in London, from which several of his brothers
and sisters had died.
1655: After his
marriage he lived in poor conditions in London.
1660: His circumstances
looked up at the Restoration of the monarchy and the Accession of
King Charles the Second. He was able to receive the patronage of
the First Earl of Sandwich, who was his father's cousin. With his
help he got a job and rose rapidly in the admiralty. He began his
celebrated diary written in his own shorthand in this year.
1665: Describes
the months of the Great Plague in his diary.
1666: Gives a vivid
account of "the Great Fire of London".
Plaque Commemorating the site of the Great Fire of London
in 1666 which started in Pudding Lane
(© Anthony Blagg)
1669: (31st May)
Final entry in his diary.
1672: Appointed
Secretary to the Admiralty.
1679: Was sacked
from his job as he was implicated in the Popish plot of that year
although it was never substantiated.
1684: Re-appointed
to his old post and also became President of the Royal Society of
London.
1688: He was again
denied office at the Revolution.
(1825:) The diaries,
which had been lodged at Magdalen College, Cambridge, were deciphered
and edited for the first time.
Marriage:
1655 to Elizabeth St. Michael.
Date
and Place of Death:
26th May 1703, London, England.
Age at Death:
70.
Site of Grave:
St. Olave's Church, Hart Street, City of
London, England.
Places
of Interest:
CAMBRIDGESHIRE:
Huntingdon
Brampton
Magdalen College
LONDON:
Exhibition, Prince Henry's Rooms, 17 Fleet Street,
EC4Y 1AA.
Royal Naval College, Greenwich
Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich looking towards Canary
Wharf.
Christopher Wren designed most of the buildings
including the chapel on the right
and the painted Hall on the left.
(© Anthony Blagg)
British Library
Monument
