A Cambridgeshire school once attended by the famed diarist Samuel Pepys has proposed renaming a house in his honour after confronting the 'abusive' treatment of women detailed in his own private journals.
Historical Legacy Under Scrutiny
Hinchingbrooke School in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, which Pepys attended in the 1640s when it was known as Huntingdon Grammar School, has five houses named after notable local figures. Pepys House is one of them, and the school's website has historically celebrated his success and wide-ranging interests in music, theatre, and literature.
However, in an email to parents, associate principal Femi Solano stated that recent research into Pepys's personal conduct, drawn from his diaries, revealed actions that were 'harmful, abusive and exploitative, especially in his relations with women'. She emphasised that these behaviours conflict with the school's core values of respect, equality, kindness, and high standards.
Diary Entries Reveal a Darker Side
While Pepys is celebrated for his vivid chronicles of 17th-century life, including the Great Fire of London in 1666, lesser-known passages transcribed by historian Guy de la Bédoyère paint a disturbing picture. The diaries document him as a serial adulterer and describe incidents of sexual coercion and violence.
Entries detail how his wife Elizabeth called him a 'dog and a rogue' after catching him groping their teenage servant. He wrote graphically of sexual encounters, including with a poverty-stricken naval widow who may have felt compelled due to his influence over her pension. Regarding Mrs Bagwell, the wife of an officer seeking promotion, Pepys wrote: 'Many hard looks and sighs the poor wretch did give me... but at last after many protestings I did arrive at what I would.' He noted causing injury to his hand while being physically forceful.
A Clash Over History and Values
The proposal has sparked a heated debate within the school community. Ms Solano insisted the 're-evaluation is not about erasing history' but about ensuring celebrated role models reflect the values the school wishes to instil in its students.
This stance has been met with fury by some parents and alumni. One parent told the Telegraph it was 'another attempt to erase history that doesn't suit modern times', arguing we should learn from the past. Former pupil Nigel Pauley commented on social media, suggesting Pepys was being 'cancelled', and pointed out that his behaviour was never a secret as he documented it himself.
The school has now entered a consultation period regarding the future name of Pepys House.
