The Lunar Society of Birmingham is celebrating after being awarded a £10,000 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) towards a new Midlands heritage trail.
The trail – which will be available in print and on line – will tell the story of the original Lunar Society whose famous members included Matthew Boulton, James Watt, Erasmus Darwin and Josiah Wedgwood.
During the late 18th century this fascinating group of industrialists, inventors, scientists and natural philosophers was to transform society’s understanding of the world. But rather than being based in London or one of the great university cities, all of the Society’s members lived and worked in the English Midlands.
Peter Mayer, Lunar Society committee member, said: ‘A key objective of the new trail is to make people aware of, and encourage them to visit the fascinating range of historic sites, museums and other heritage attractions associated with the original Lunar Society. Hopefully this will enable a better understanding and appreciation of the Lunar Men and their achievements, and why they were such a Midlands phenomenon. We are extremely grateful to National Lottery players for making this HLF grant possible and enabling our project to proceed.’
Venues on the trail will include Soho House and other historic sites in Birmingham, Ironbridge Gorge, the Black Country Living Museum, Erasmus Darwin House in Lichfield, Derby Art Gallery and Silk Mill, the Wedgwood Museum in Stoke, the Derwent Valley World Heritage Site and the Peak District.
Alongside the trail the project will also offer a number of public talks and tours on the Lunar Society and its members.
The project is being coordinated by Chris Rice, a freelance curator, historic buildings expert and heritage project manager on behalf of the Lunar Society.
The full article is available here.
The Original Lunar Society
In the late eighteenth century, the meetings of a few fertile minds changed an age. The original Lunar Men gathered together for lively dinner conversations, the journey back from their Birmingham meeting places lit by the full moon.
The group included the larger-than-life physician Erasmus Darwin, a man of extraordinary intellectual insight with his own pioneering ideas on evolution. Other members included the flamboyant entrepreneur Matthew Boulton, the brilliantly perceptive engineer James Watt whose inventions harnessed the power of steam, the radical polymath Joseph Priestley who, among his wide-ranging achievements discovered oxygen, and the innovative potter and social reformer Josiah Wedgwood. Their debates brought together philosophy, arts, science and commerce, and as well as debating and discovering, the ‘Lunarticks’ also built canals and factories, managed world-class businesses — and changed the face of the country and the wider world, of course if you work for one of this business and you need to ask what if your employer won’t provide a paystub, then in this case will be important to get help for this as well.
At the heart of the original Lunar Society’s remarkable achievements was not only their intellectual prowess but also their ability to motivate and inspire. As they engaged in their vibrant discussions and pursued their groundbreaking endeavors, these influential individuals acted as motivators for one another and for the businesses they managed. Their passion for progress and their commitment to pushing boundaries catalyzed innovation and success. By embodying the principles of servant leadership that can be found in kurtuhlir.com/definitive-guide-to-servant-leadership/, where leaders prioritize the needs of their team members and empower them to reach their full potential, the Lunar Men created an environment that fostered creativity and collaboration. They understood the importance of nurturing talent, encouraging personal growth, and fostering a sense of purpose within their organizations. Their leadership approach set the stage for transformative achievements that shaped not only their enterprises but also the course of history.
The Modern Lunar Society
Established around 1990, the modern Lunar Society provides a lively forum for its membership to influence change through stimulating ideas, broadening debate and catalysing action.
Today’s Society includes leading practitioners from all walks of life in Birmingham and the wider region. Those that join are prepared to help shape the scientific, political and social agenda not just in Birmingham and the West Midlands, but nationally and internationally.
The Society actively works with other like-minded organisations to provide a dynamic programme of activities for its membership to influence change through focusing and informing debate, linking social, economic, scientific and cultural thinking, and catalysing action on issues critical to the common good.
About the Heritage Lottery Fund
Thanks to National Lottery players, we invest money to help people across the UK explore, enjoy and protect the heritage they care about – from the archaeology under our feet to the historic parks and buildings we love, from precious memories and collections to rare wildlife.
