Latest news
November 2008
Matthew Boulton monument conserved in readiness for 2009
John Flaxman’s memorial to Matthew Boulton (1728-1809) in St Mary’s Church, Handsworth, is being conserved in readiness for the 200th Anniversary of Boulton’s death next year.
The marble monument to Boulton was commissioned by his son in 1810. It was undertaken by John Flaxman (1755-1826), one of the most gifted sculptors of his day. Flaxman had originally worked as a designer for Boulton and also the potter Josiah Wedgwood, and was responsible for another commemorative bust of Boulton now on display at Soho House Museum.
The work to the memorial is being carried out by conservation specialist Veronika Vlkova Antoniou and is being funded by Birmingham City Council.
September 2008
Matthew Boulton's house gets facelift for 2009 Bicentenary
Soho House Museum in Handsworth, home of Matthew Boulton (1728-1809), is to get a facelift in time for the 200th Anniversary of Boulton's death next year.
The house was originally constructed in brick around 1757. It was acquired by Boulton in 1761, and he continued to make improvements and amendments to it throughout his life. The most significant alterations were undertaken between 1796-99 when the house was enlarged and refurbished in the latest neo-classical style based on the designs of architects James and Samuel Wyatt.
One of Wyatt's most innovative works was to clad the brick house in slate which was then decorated with a sanded paint to replicate the appearance of stone. This technique was extremely rare - the only other site where a similar approach was used was Shugborough Hall in Staffordshire.
When the house was restored as a museum in the early 1990s, great care was taken to reproduce the unique sanded paint finish. However, after fifteen years it has started to fail on two of the elevations and so the City Council has commissioned conservation specialists to undertake the redecoration work using the same techniques employed in the 1790s.
The work will be completed by early November. The Grade II* listed building will remain open to the public until it closes for the Winter on Sunday 2nd November.
August 2008
Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery acquires two rare Matthew Boulton Argand lampsAfter 13 years of waiting, Birmingham Museums & Art Gallery has purchased two extremely rare Matthew Boulton Argand lamps for Soho House Museum in Handsworth.
The two neo-classical Sheffield plate lamps have been on loan to Soho since it opened to the public in 1995. However, thanks to the patience of the lender, and the generosity of the Friends of Birmingham Museums & Art Gallery, the Art Fund and the MLA/V&A Purchase Grant Fund, the museum has finally been able to assemble the funds to purchase them outright.
Cllr Ray Hassall, Cabinet Member for Leisure, Sport & Culture commented:
‘ Being able to acquire these extremely rare lamps is fantastic news for the Museum after all these years – and it is especially pleasing to secure them in time for the Matthew Boulton Bicentenary celebration in 2009’
For more information on one of the lamps visit the Gallery section of this website