The Spalding Gentlemen’s Society, founded in 1710 by the Lincolnshire lawyer Maurice Johnson (1688-1755) and still in existence today, was a centre of scholarly and antiquarian research in the first half of the eighteenth century. Members discussed scientific discoveries, curious objects brought to meetings and generally tried to make sense of the world around them, leaving behind a rich archive. My research seeks to consider Johnson’s own role in his Society, the nature of its very broad intellectual interests, connections forged with other individuals and societies, and the role played by books and objects in the creation of networks of knowledge. Of especial interest are the sociable origins of the society, in Spalding’s coffee houses and inns, and the role of gender in this seemingly entirely masculine society.