Samuel Pepys was born on February 23rd 1633 in Salisbury Court off Fleet Street. His father, John, was a tailor, his mother Margaret Kite was sister of a Whitechapel butcher and Samuel was fifth in a line of eleven children. His knowledge of shorthand, his political connections through Montagu (now Earl of Sandwich and First Lord of the Admiralty, having brought the King back from exile), and his subsequent government posts as one of the principal officers of the navy administration, gave him power and moderate wealth. His love of order and efficiency made him a man of some importance and he proudly and successfully addressed the Commons on naval matters. His [speech to the Commons on March 5th 1668][1] pleased him enormously. For us he is best known for his less than ten years of personal diaries, at once personal and historic, characterful and literary. ([Edited from pepys.info][2].) [1]: http://www.pepys.info/1668/1668.html#anchor6567384 [2]: http://www.pepys.info/pepbiog.html