Monday 25 August 1662
Up early, and among my workmen when they came, and set them in good order at work on all hands, which, though it at first began angrily, yet I pleased myself afterwards in seeing it put into a good posture, and so I left them, and away by water to Woolwich (calling in my way in Hamcreek, where I have never been before, and there found two of the King’s ships lie there without any living creature aboard, which troubled me, every thing being stole away that can be), where I staid seeing a cable of 14 inches laid, in which there was good variety.
Then to Mr. Falconer’s, and there eat a bit of roast meat off of the spit, and so away to the yard, and there among other things mustered the yard, and did things that I perceive people do begin to value me, and that I shall be able to be of command in all matters, which God be praised for. Then to Mr. Pett’s, and there eat some fruit and drank, and so to boat again, and to Deptford, calling there about the business of my house only, and so home, where by appointment I found Mr. Coventry, Sir W. Batten, and Mr. Waith met at Sir W. Batten’s, and thither I met, and so agreed upon a way of answering my Lord Treasurer’s letter. Here I found Mr. Coventry had got a letter from the Duke, sent us for looking into the business of the Chest, of which I am glad. After we had done here I went home, and up among my workmen, and found they had done a good day’s work, and so to my office till late ordering of several businesses, and so home and to bed, my mind, God be praised, full of business, but great quiet.
36 Annotations
First Reading
T, Foreman • Link
"mustered the yard"
L&M note: "Pepys's notes are in PRO, SP 29/58, no. 76. Thirty absentees were dismissed on the following day."
"the business of my house only"
L&M note: "The rebuilding of the roof...."
"my Lord Treasurer's letter.”
L&M note: “In a letter of the 22nd the Lord Treasurer, enclosing a royal warrant of the day before, askinf for estimates of paying off ships, and an estimate of the state of stores:….”
No wonder Sam has been on the prowl and poking his nose into every nook and cranny (not to mention every crook and nanny).
Robert Gertz • Link
"...did things that I perceive people do begin to value me, and that I shall be able to be of command in all matters..."
The pleasures of putting a bit of stick about... Thirty sacked in one day, eh- that would certainly cause people to "value" one.
A. De Araujo • Link
"and there eat a bit of roast meat off of the spit"
Barbecue by any other name...
A. Hamilton • Link
"full of business"
And so he is.What a contrast to the play-going man about town of six months ago.
T, Foreman • Link
"calling in my way in Hamcreek, where I have never been before"
Well, not quite -- it seems Sam has forgotten the first time he was there:
"Thursday 17 January 1660/61 Up, and breakfast with my Lady. Then come Captains Cuttance and Blake to carry her in the barge on board; and so we went through Ham Creeke to the Soverayne (a goodly sight all the way to see the brave ships that lie here) first, which is a most noble ship. I never saw her before." http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
T, Foreman • Link
Pepys and Ham Creek: it's a matter of berths
Of course, Sam has a different relation to Ham Creek now, where ships are berthed at moorings "rented from William Mason at £18 p.a.:." (L&M note), and he too has a different berth.
PHE • Link
"I perceive people do begin to value me"
Watching Sam's gradual career progression is a fascinating aspect of the diaries. With his initial position thanks only to an influential patron (Sandwich) and with no title or social position, he is very aware that he needs to develop respect over time. He knows who to keep close to and when, and importantly when not to be too familiar (eg. Batten and Penn). He is also quick to note when people are fools and not worth wasting time with. I'm sure this could be the subject of a thesis or 'self-help' book, relevant to today's career-ladder climbers. While we have much more of a meritocracy today, good hard work is often not enough without a bit of 'who you know' and making the best of your 'lucky breaks'.
GrahamT • Link
"...there eat a bit of roast meat off of the spit."
He could still get this in most parts of London. We now call it a Donner Kebab, the food of choice for late night revellers.
George R • Link
"After we had done here I went home, and up among my workmen, and found they had done a good day's work.” We builders aren’t bad lads even now you know; just need a gentle push now and then.
A.Hamilton • Link
Donner Kebab
After the Donner Party? Donner-Dinner rhyme? A snickersnack?
Bob T • Link
After the Donner Party
A Donner Party snack????? Surely you jest :-)
FYI: The Donner party were a group of people who had to winter in the mountains on their way to the US West, and reverted to canibalism.
Jerry Atkinson • Link
full of business.
Yes, but isn't it interesting how he seamlessly integrates business, personal life and pleasure instead of compartmentalizing as so many are forced to do now. For Pepys it's all in a days work.
Martin • Link
"...but great quiet."
A nice way of saying he is at peace with himself at the end of the day.
Michael McCollough • Link
'The Donner party were a group of people who had to winter in the mountains on their way to the US West, and reverted to canibalism.'
'Reverted'? What are trying to imply?
Pauline • Link
"Thirty absentees were dismissed on the following day"
Suppose this means the crews of the two unoccupied ships at Hamcreek?
Alan Bedford • Link
O.T., but a "donner kebab" would be appear to be similar to what those of us here in the States know as "gyros". Spit-roasted meat, cucumber slices, tomato slices, onion, lettuce w/sauce, on a pita.
A. Hamilton • Link
"Thirty absentees"
L&M is apparently referring to the aftermath of Sam's visit to Woolwich, where he "mustered the yard," that is, had the yard workers assemble and answer a roll call. I don't think it refers to the abandoned ships at Hamcreek.
T, Foreman • Link
"Thirty absentees were dismissed on the following day"
apparently at the [rope]yard at Woolwich; the status of the ships at Ham Creek is less clear, but evidently the security concerns prompted by 9/11 are a bit more than a fortnight away.
Martha R • Link
Home to Woolwich to Deptford to Home
Any idea how many miles Sam covers on a day like this?
Also, "doner kebab" is the Turkish name. (You can get them in Minneapolis too, but probably not in as many places as London.)
T, Foreman • Link
Turns out the "donner kebab" is Turkish by origin.
"Döner kebap is filets of meat stacked on a vertical spit and roasted at a vertical grill.
“Döner means “turning:” the vertical spit is rotated, or turned, in front of the heat source (charcoal, gas or electric). When the meat directly opposite the heat source is properly roasted, the spit is rotated so that the cooked meat may be sliced off with a huge knife, and an uncooked portion of meat exposed to the fire.” http://www.turkeytravelplanner.co…
T, Foreman • Link
(Sorry, Martha R, I didn't catch your post in time.)
A. De Araujo • Link
Doner is the turkish name;Gyro is the greek name; they don't get along :)
JWB • Link
Donner Camp
I've an relative who passed through the camp a year after & wrote in his diary: "We found bones and sculls scattered about. It was a most horrible sight. They had mashed the bones to get the marrow".
language hat • Link
"Gyro" has the same meaning as "d?ner.”
Except in Greek rather than Turkish.
Australian Susan • Link
Kebabs originated from soldiers roasting chunks of meat on their sabres.
language hat • Link
Sounds like urban legend to me.
I'm guessing kebabs have been around since shortly after humans discovered fire.
charlie • Link
doner kebab does actually originate from turkey, and was invented by the ottoman turks around the times of 1400's along with yougurt and musaka, homus and cacik.
theres no doubt about it. the turks actuualy used to cook the doner kabab horizontally originally but then in modern times vertically. the word doner actually mean "to turn or turning" and the oringinal word kebap means any form of meat cook over a fire.
Second Reading
Gerald Berg • Link
'reverted to can(n)ibalism' Dim view of humankind or what? By the by they did a study of who survived and who didn't in the Donner party. Young men? First to die. Married women? Most likely to survive.
john • Link
"Thirty absentees were dismissed on the following day." We are beginning to see why naval business was in such a mess -- thirty workers absent and probably not the first time.
Chris Squire UK • Link
'Reverted' is obviously a mistype for 'resorted'.
Liz • Link
Is this the first time SP has mentioned eating fruit? Apologies if it was mentioned before and I’ve forgotten!
San Diego Sarah • Link
By using the search button [top right] I found these links:
Monday 5 January 1662/63
… to supper and some apples and ale, and to bed with great pleasure …
Thursday 16 February 1659/60
… e up a box of china oranges and two little barrels of scallops at m …
Monday 12 January 1662/63
… design to get some oranges for my feast to-morrow of her, which I …
Friday 27 September 1661
… nd), come with some grapes and millons from my Lord at Lisbon, the … some home; but the grapes are rare things. Here we staid; and in … put up some of the grapes in a basket for to be sent to the King, … found a hampire of millons sent to me also.
Wednesday 11 September 1661
… e hath abundance of grapes; and did show me how a dog that he hath …
Sunday 5 August 1666
… landed and bought a millon, -- [melon] -- and we did also land and e …
Thursday 3 October 1661
… itre and a Portugal millon with me; there sat and discoursed in ma …
Wednesday 27 August 1662
… id give her a Muske Millon. To-day my hogshead of sherry I have so …
Looks like fruit were treats in the post-War economy.
Oranges had been around and available to just about everyone since Elizabethan times. so either Pepys didn't like them, or they were too common to mention.
San Diego Sarah • Link
Liz ... I thought of another fruit Pepys might have eaten:
Monday 21 July 1662
… drinking, and eating figs, which were very good, and talking while …
You're correct in pointing out that he wasn't big on fruits -- or veggies -- that he records.
San Diego Sarah • Link
Liz ... I had forgotten that there is an Encyclopedia page dedicated to fruits and veggies, but it not linked to any citation as Pepys never specifically mentions these two words.
https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…
I just added a link to a very informative article about gardening in the mid-17th century with all sorts of fascinating details. Enjoy.
Liz • Link
Many thanks, SDS. Apologies for delay.
Terry Foreman • Link
"by water to Woolwich (calling in my way in Hamcreek, where I have never been before, and there found two of the King’s ships lie there without any living creature aboard, which troubled me, every thing being stole away that can be), where I staid seeing a cable of 14 inches laid, in which there was good variety."
L&M: For methods of 'laying' (making) a cable, see https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/… and https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…
Fourteen ins. was the measure of the circumference.