(And a walk on February 25th-see below)
Samuel Pepys’ biographer, Clare Tomalin, wrote of his life:
“A drama start to end….sickness, passion, fire, bereavement, imprisonment, false accusation and revolution….the most ordinary and the most extraordinary writer you will ever meet’
And he lived in the building where I teach! 12 Buckingham Street, where Pepys established his famous library and pioneering bookcases. His library is now in Magdalen College Cambridge.
Pepys later moved two doors down to number 14 Buckingham Street and the next occupant of this house was Robert Harley, Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer. You may be familiar with the film ‘The Favourite’ which portrays Robert Harley, played by Nicholas Hoult, as a ridiculous bewigged dandy. It is likely, however, that Harley was no fool; his magnificent book collection became one of the core collections of the British Library.
Two houses, two men, two famous book collections.
Discover more on a guided walk at 2pm on Saturday February 25th. It’s a super walk full of great anecdotes about Pepys and life in 17th century London.
