Samuel Pepys

Samuel Pepys FRS
Portrait by John Hayls, 1666
6th President of the Royal Society
In office 1 December 1684 – 30 November 1686
Preceded by	Cyril Wyche
Succeeded by	John Vaughan
Member of Parliament for Harwich
In office 1685–1689
Preceded by	Thomas Middleton Philip Parker
Succeeded by	Thomas Middleton John Eldred
In office 1679–1679
Preceded by	Capel Luckyn Thomas King
Succeeded by	Thomas Middleton Philip Parker
Member of Parliament for Castle Rising
In office 1673–1679
Preceded by	Robert Paston John Trevor
Succeeded by	Robert Howard James Hoste
Personal details
Born	(1633-02-23)23 February 1633 Fleet Street, London, England
Died	26 May 1703(1703-05-26) (aged 70) Clapham, Surrey, England
Resting place	St Olave's, London 51°30′39″N 0°04′47″W / 51.510878°N 0.079627°W / 51.510878; -0.079627
Political party	Tory
Spouse	Elisabeth de St Michel ​ ​ (m. 1655; died 1669)​
Relatives	Edward Montagu (cousin) Talbot Pepys (great uncle) Sir Richard Pepys (cousin) Richard Edgcumbe
Education	Huntingdon Grammar School St Paul's School
Alma mater	Magdalene College, Cambridge
Occupation	Naval administrator Chief Secretary to the Admiralty Tory Member of Parliament for Castle Rising and Harwich
Known for	Diarist

Samuel Pepys FRS (/piːps/;^[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.