Pepys 29th November

The Essex Federation are hosting this day school. They invite you to enrol in one of two free talks. In this talk Richard Pusey reveals the London of Samuel Pepys. A light lunch will be provided.

Click here to enrol

Samuel Pepys is well known for his diary which he wrote in shorthand from 1660 – 1669. In it, he describes having his bladder stone surgically removed without anaesthetic! He rose to become Clerk of the Acts to the Navy Board and lived in the Navy Office in Hart Street with his young wife Elizabeth and their relationship was very interesting!

London changed radically during this time and events such as the Restoration, the Great Plague and the Great Fire took place and these are vividly described in the diary. The City was subsequently rebuilt at great speed.

The talk will outline these events and visit the rebuilt London and look at some of the sites that Pepys would have recognised.

The second talk will look at the medical practitioners and how the medical services (such as they were) were delivered at that time. Why were surgeons called Mr and how did they do amputations in just a few minutes! You will hear all about it but not for the squeamish!!

Richard is a retired surgeon and City of London and Camden Tour Guide specialising in Medical Walks and Talks.