Yes, I can’t resist an obscure reference to a 1993 parody B, but fun, film, Hot Shots! Part Deux. Pepys Day! Part Deux was also enormous fun with a bit of parody thrown in too.

On Friday, 5 September 2025, we held the second Pepys Day. 500 people participated – 300 at Temple Bar and 200 by the Monument taking a series of eight walks ending at the Royal Exchange.  We closed with a great dinner in Temple Bar.  A donation is being made to the Lord Mayor’s Appeal from the charges for the walks. 

The real heroes for the two events were the Worshipful Company of Architects led by Chris Dyson, and the City of London Guides, led by Mario Beneventi (such an appropriate name!) and Helen Louise Grainger.

Destination City and The Monument team have been most helpful.  City AM were real stars providing some helpful coverage:

https://www.cityam.com/pepys-day-raise-a-toast-to-londons-best-diarist

https://www.cityam.com/on-this-day-the-worst-day-of-the-great-fire-of-london

Now that everything has been tested, next year we are going for significantly larger numbers – my fantasy goal is reach Bloomsday numbers in Dublin one year, circa 50 events and 50,000+ people. The City of London Guides, the Architects, and I are hoping to restage Pepys Day 2026 on Friday, 4 September 2026.

For further background, check out Pepys Day – Numero Uno!

And can’t resist sharing a photo of meeting Henry Bagwell again after so many years…