Elizabeth pepys cause of death

Servant to diarist Samuel Pepys

Jane Birch (b. 1643/4, d. after 1703) was a servant to Elizabeth and Samuel Pepys from when she was 14 and then, off and on, until Samuel's death.

She is notable because over 10% of the population of London were women servants and her life is well documented by her employer's detailed personal diary.

Life

She was working for Samuel and Elizabeth Pepys from when she was 14 and they all moved into a rented house in Whitehall in 1658.

Evidence suggests that she had come to London to find work as she was not born or brought up in London as her mother lived outside the city.^[1]

Her life is known because, although over 10% of the population of London were women servants, her life is the only one that is well documented by her employer's personal detailed diary.^[1] Pepys started his daily diary on 1 January 1660.^[2] Pepys made 113 references about her in his diary^[3] and then mentioned her in his