brown plaque · London
Samuel Pepys PRS

This plaque commemorates Samuel Pepys, the renowned diarist, who resided in a house that once stood on this site. Pepys, born in 1633, is celebrated for his detailed private journal, which offers an unparalleled insight into daily life in 17th-century London, covering significant events such as the Great Plague and the Great Fire of London. His writings provide a unique and invaluable historical record of the Restoration period. The plaque also notes the residency of other notable figures, including statesman Robert Harley, and painters William Etty and Clarkson Stanfield, highlighting the site's rich historical association with prominent individuals across several centuries.
The memorial is a brown plaque, a type often used in London to denote sites of historical interest or former residences of significant individuals. Such plaques contribute to the city's rich tapestry of public remembrance, highlighting places connected to notable figures in arts, sciences, and public life. This tradition of marking historically significant locations helps to connect contemporary urban spaces with their past, offering citizens and visitors alike a glimpse into the lives of those who shaped the nation's history. The placement of such markers reflects a long-standing civic commitment to preserving and sharing historical narratives through tangible links to specific places.
The plaque can be found at 14 Buckingham Street in Westminster, London, bearing an address within the WC2 postcode area. Buckingham Street is a historic thoroughfare in the heart of London, easily accessible to visitors exploring the city's many landmarks. The plaque is affixed to a building at this address, indicating that the original house where Samuel Pepys and the other distinguished individuals lived has since been replaced. Visitors interested in history and literature can observe this marker as part of a wider exploration of historical London.
Inscription
“In a house formerly standing on this site lived Samuel Pepys 1633-1703 diarist and Robert Harley, Earl of Oxford 1661-1724 statesman and in this house lived William Etty 1787-1849 painter and Clarkson Stanfield 1793-1867 painter”
Background
In a house formerly standing on this site lived Samuel Pepys 1633-1703 diarist and Robert Harley, Earl of Oxford 1661-1724 statesman and in this house lived William Etty 1787-1849 painter and Clarkson Stanfield 1793-1867 painter
Source: Open Plaques. Geographic data via OpenStreetMap.