Soho House

This article is about the eighteenth century home of Matthew Boulton. For the private members' club, see Soho House (club).

Soho House from the front

Soho House (middle building); rear view with side buildings, as seen from todays access road.

Soho House grid reference SP053891, Matthew Boulton's home (from 1766 until he died in 1809) in Handsworth, Birmingham, England, is now a museum (opened in 1995), celebrating his life, his partnership with James Watt and his membership of the Lunar Society of Birmingham. It was designed by Samuel Wyatt and work on the current building began in 1789. Work on extending the building was completed in 1796 following the submission of designs by James Wyatt, Samuel's brother, for the additions of a main entrance front. It is a Grade II* listed building.

Boulton acquired the lease of the five-year-old Soho Mill in 1761 and developed it into Soho Manufactory. He expanded the cottage next to it into Soho House, changing it several times. It is faced with sheets of painted slate to give the appearance of large stone blocks. Boulton moved in to Soho House when the Manufactory was completed in 1766. The Soho Manufactory was demolished in 1863.

In 1766 Boulton became one of the founders of the Lunar Society of Birmingham. Soho House was a regular venue for meetings of the Lunar Society.

As a Community Museum, that is branch museum, of the Birmingham Museums & Art Gallery it is owned and run by Birmingham City Council. It hosts exhibitions of local and community interest. Previously free, since April 2011 admission charges apply for entry to the house. It remains free to under 16s. Gardens, grounds and visitor facilities are free to all visitors.

There is a Blue Plaque commemorating Matthew Boulton on the house [1].

In the years between Boulton's leaving and the house becoming a museum, it had several uses, more recently as a residential hostel for police officers.

References

• Pevsner Architectural Guides - Birmingham, Andy Foster, 2005, ISBN 0-300-10731-5
• Robert E. Schofield (1963). The Lunar Society of Birmingham: a social history of provincial science and industry in eighteenth-century England. Clarendon Press. 
• Douglas Hickman (1970). Birmingham. Studio Vista Ltd. 
• Details from listed building database (217624) - Grade II*. Images of England. English Heritage.

External links

• Soho House
• Soho House - Service for Schools - Educational teaching sessions and resources at Soho House
• Soho House for Kids - fun and games for children based on Soho House