Bob Geldof pops in on Pepys

Legendary musician and activist Sir Bob Geldof made a surprise visit to Magdalene College today

Sir Bob Geldof as he arrived at MagdaleneRoxanne Napier

by Amy Hawkins

This article is 12 years old

Thursday October 24 2013, 2:39pm

Sir Bob Geldof, singer, songwriter, author and do-gooder extrondinaire today stopped off at Magdalene College to visit the Pepys Library.

Sir Geldof is in Cambridge on tour with his Irish rockband the Boomtown Rats, who played at the Corn Exchange last night.

However most know him as the man who founded Live Aid, a huge annual charity concert that was originally intended to raise money to aid efforts to eliminate famine in Ethiopia. Live Aid started in 1985, a year after Geldof co-wrote and released the best-selling charity anthem "Do they know it's Christmas?". That single raised over £8 million for charity.

The Pepys Library that Sir Geldof visited today has even more august roots. Founded in the seventeenth century, it houses 3,000 volumes of original manuscripts, music, maps and calligraphy. Samuel Pepys' own diary between 1660 and 1669 can also be found here, in six volumes.

Sir Geldof was given special permission by one of the fellows of Magdalene to stand on the grass in front of the library for a photo opportunity. According to the Magdalene College Facebook page, he "thoroughly enjoyed himself" on his brief visit to some of Cambridge's most treasured archives.

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