The Lunar Walk is coming

Posted on Tuesday, June 02, 2009 by Chris Sutton
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Ms Joy Ashworth, a lady wise in Country Ways who will be on the walk explains more…..

“Come and join our walk along the canal in the footsteps of Birmingham’s famous Lunar Society. Leader of the Society, Brum’s own Matthew Boulton, is celebrating the 200th anniversary of his death this year. He will be attending the walk in person with several of his friends, scientists and inventors James Watt, William Murdoch, Erasmus Darwin, William Withering and Joseph Priestly. Mr Boulton will greet walkers at the start of the walk and invite all participants to tea at his lovely home, Soho House, at the end of the afternoon. You may have noticed the imposing gold statue in Broad Street featuring Mr Boulton, Mr Watt and Mr Murdoch; the walk will include a visit to the statue to see the sculptor at work, posing the three friends for his commission. To view a short entertaining video about the Lunar Society, go to website www.visittheheart.co.uk/celebration/ and click on Meet the Lunartiks.

Re-enactments of key events in Brum’s history will take place at suitable locations on the walk, and music and songs from the period will be performed by the Lunartiks and some of the navvies who built the canals.

So come along on Sunday 7th June. Children welcome – some of the activities are specially designed for them. You can park at the start of the walk in Keeley Street, off Watery Lane Middleway – take St Andrew’s Road off the Middleway and Keeley Street is second right. Postcode B9 4HQ for Satnav users.
You can spend the whole day, coming all the way to Soho House, a walk of about 5 miles, with a mini-bus to take you from the canal to Soho House and to run you back to your car after tea, or just drop in at one of the re-enactments as scheduled overleaf. There will be a cup of tea at Soho House, Handsworth, but bring your own picnic lunch for the stop at Aston Junction. There is a charge of £4 for the full day (£2.50 for concessions) which will help finance a full-scale play about the Lunar Society to be performed later in the year. Watch out for details in the Autumn!"

Contact Chris Sutton on 07837332542 or at vcgcbham@yahoo.co.uk for more information.