Samuel Pepys

Samuel Pepys
Portrait by John Hayls, 1666
6th President of the Royal Society
In office
1 December 1684 – 30 November 1686
Preceded byCyril Wyche
Succeeded byJohn Vaughan
Member of Parliament
for Harwich
In office
1685–1689
Preceded by
Succeeded by
  • Thomas Middleton
  • John Eldred
In office
1679–1679
Preceded by
Succeeded by
  • Thomas Middleton
  • Philip Parker
Member of Parliament
for Castle Rising
In office
1673–1679
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Personal details
Born(1633-02-23)23 February 1633
Fleet Street, London, England
Died26 May 1703(1703-05-26) (aged 70)
Clapham, Surrey, England
Resting placeSt Olave's, London
51°30′39″N 0°04′47″W / 51.510878°N 0.079627°W / 51.510878; -0.079627
Political partyTory
Spouse
(m. 1655; died 1669)
Relatives
Education
Alma materMagdalene College, Cambridge
Occupation
Known forDiarist

Samuel Pepys FRS (/pps/ PEEPS;[1] 23 February 1633 – 26 May 1703) was an English diarist and naval administrator. He served as administrator of the Royal Navy and Member of Parliament, but is most remembered today for the diary he kept for almost a decade. Though he had no maritime experience, Pepys rose to be the Chief Secretary to the Admiralty under both King Charles II and King James II through patronage, diligence, and his talent for administration. His influence and reforms at the Admiralty were important in the early professionalisation of the Royal Navy.[2]

The detailed private diary that Pepys kept from 1660 until 1669 was first published in the 19th century and is one of the most important primary sources for the English Restoration period. It provides a combination of personal revelation and eyewitness accounts of great events, such as the Great Plague of London, the Second Dutch War, and the Great Fire of London.

  1. ^ "Samuel Pepys FAQ". Archived from the original on 22 May 2017. Retrieved 28 May 2017.
  2. ^ Ollard (1984), ch. 16.