London will celebrate its third annual Pepys Day this Friday, 4 September, at 11:00 by Temple Bar in Paternoster Square, next to St Paul’s Cathedral. The event honours Samuel Pepys, the diarist who recorded the Great Fire of London in September 1666.
The inaugural Pepys Day in 2024 saw 225 attendees, a number that increased to 500 for the second event in 2025. Former Lord Mayor Michael Mainelli highlighted Pepys's role in transforming the Royal Navy and his presidency of the Royal Society when Isaac Newton published the Principia Mathematica.
This year's programme includes a Temple Bar ceremony featuring a person portraying Samuel Pepys, escorted by the Pikemen & Musketeers of the Honourable Artillery Company. There will also be readings from Pepys's diary and guided walks exploring his City and the Great Fire, with proceeds from the walks donated to the Lady Mayor’s Appeal.