Caroline B.
Yelp
Soho House is open!
I can't believe I've not been here. I make a point of visiting the museums around Birmingham so how did I miss this? Part of the Birmingham Museums group, Soho House is an easy drive/bus (possibly walking) distance from the Jewellery Quarter so a good visit to tie in with the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter. They should have a shuttle.
Anyway, Soho House is the old residence of Matthew Boulton, the immensely impressive and influencial engineer and manufacturer who worked closely with James Watt and was part of the Lunar Society. It feels somewhat out of the way, in a residential area but you turn up the drive to see a lovely Georgian house. I had booked onto the first tour that morning, but being a term time Friday it was very quiet and there were only two of us there.
I arrived half an hour early and looked around the exhibition area which gives a great short, sweet but informative background of Boulton and his history as well as the Lunar Society.
The tour itself went around his house, with interesting architectural facts and family background but also focussing on Boulton's works. You can see the dining room where the Lunar Society frequently met, plus bedrooms, drawing rooms and the cellar.
I could go on for too long, so will just say that my highlights were:
- The dining room, where the Lunar Society met. Did you know you can get married there..?
- Boulton's study with the moon globe, and the amazing pastel moon drawing which looks incredibly realistic even though telescopes weren't able to give a very clear picture of the moon.
- the reproduction wallpaper and carpets. I know that sounds odd, but to make the rooms look as authentic as possible, the wallpaper in the drawing room was screen printed onto small squares which is how it would have been done then. There were no records nor traces of the carpets, but Kidderminster carpets, having been around for hundreds of years still retained their pattern books, enabling them to re-create something from the period.
- The clock which keeps time to the stars. It's so accurate that it would be impossible to use as a timepiece as it doesn't take account of sunrise and sunset
- Just finding out a lot more about one of the most influential people in manufacturing. Hats off MB!
The staff were also amazing, very friendly, helpful, knowledgeable and interested.
I didn't go there but the café is pretty substantial and there's a nice little shop too.