You mention ‘Soho House’ to most people, and they’ll automatically think of the private members’ club in London. But the former home of Birmingham’s most influential intellectuals actually predates it by more than 200 years. And, if you ask me, is far, far more interesting to talk about.
The Grade II* listed 18th-century house in Handsworth was the home of local entrepreneur Matthew Boulton (who was the business partner of James Watt, one of the most important figures of the Industrial Revolution), and it became the regular meeting place for the legendary Lunar Society.
The Lunar Society…
Every full moon, the Midlands’ most prominent industrialists, scientists, and intellectuals met up at Soho House (the extra moonlight made it easier to journey home) to dine, conduct experiments and enjoy lively discussions on everything from philosophy to politics. The ‘lunaticks’, as they came to call themselves, met regularly between 1765 and 1813.
Although there was no set membership, the group most notably included physician Erasmus Darwin (Charles Darwin’s grandfather), chemist Joseph Priestley (who discovered oxygen), William Small (mentor of Thomas Jefferson), and James Watt (inventor of the Watt steam engine). While even one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, Benjamin Franklin, had connections with the group.
We’ll never know exactly what these influential men discussed, but we know the Birmingham Riots of 1791 caused strains between the Lunar Society’s members, and by 1813, the group had ceased to exist. But its influence can still be felt all over the city, including the nine Moonstones memorials in Great Barr; William Bloye’s Boulton, Watt and Murdoch statue in Centenary Square, and a museum at Soho House itself.
Soho House…
Today, Soho House stands as a monument to the fashions and tastes of the late Georgian period. Inside the museum, discover fascinating displays full of products made in Boulton’s nearby Soho Manufactory, while outside, the 18th-century gardens provide a peaceful escape from city life—The Hermitage is a reconstruction of where Boulton would retreat for quiet contemplation.
Soho House is currently closed for walk-in visits, but you can pre-book a guided tour here.
