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Pepys and the plague

One coping strategy when we face a crisis like Covid-19 is to document our experiences in some way, whether that’s on social media or in an old-fashioned diary. Samuel Pepys, a young civil servant living in London, recorded his daily life for almost ten years in the 1660s. Find out how he and the city reacted to the Great Plague in 1665 – the worst epidemic to hit England since the Black Death of 1348.

Words by Surya Bowyer

  • In pictures

About the author

Surya Bowyer

Surya Bowyer is a writer and educator from London. He is interested in the intertwined histories of media and technology.