The Lunar Society of Birmingham was a group of prominent figures in the Midlands Enlightenment, including industrialists, natural philosophers, and thinkers who met regularly in Birmingham, England, between 1765 and 1813. The society was an exclusive club that never had more than fourteen core members, and each member was noted for their special area of expertise, including the greatest engineers, scientists, and thinkers of the day. The society gained its name as its monthly meetings were always scheduled for the Monday nearest to the full moon, the better light helping to ensure the members a safer journey home along the dangerous, unlit streets. The ranks of the dozen or so regular members of the Lunar Society were often swelled by visits and correspondents from more peripheral members, including the likes of Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, Sir Richard Arkwright, Thomas Bedoes, Anna Seward, John Smeaton, etc. The Lunar Society was very particular about who was allowed to become a member. The society met regularly in Birmingham, England, and fostered the Midlands Enlightenment, a cultural manifestation of the Enlightenment within England.
