Dictionary of Irish Architects 1720 - 1940

Architect and builder, of London and Armagh.   Richard Louch was born in London.(1) According to his great-grandson FITZGIBBON LOUCH FITZGIBBON LOUCH , he became a successful building contractor in London.  He is presumably the Richard Louch who was an entrant in the Dublin Royal Exchange competition of 1768-69.(1) FITZGIBBON LOUCH& FITZGIBBON LOUCH& #160; states that Richard decided to emigrate to America after his premises in London had been destoyed by fire but was persuaded by Archbishop Robinson of Armagh to come to Armagh instead.  He was living in Armagh by 1775, when he sent a drawing of the doorcase of the Primate's Palace to Henry Maxwell, Bishop of Meath at Ardbraccan,(2) and in the following year he is recorded as finishing the building of the south wing of Armagh Infirmary with JOHN HARVEY. JOHN HARVEY. (3) He is presumably the 'Mr Louch' of Armagh who in 1780 agreed to supply timber for the Earl Bishop of Derry's proposed improvements at Downhill,(4) and he is known to have been working at Downhill in the early 1780s.(5) He died in London in August 1792.(6) He was the father of RICHARD LUCIUS LOUCH [1]. RICHARD LUCIUS LOUCH [1].



References

All information in this entry not otherwise accounted for is from a 'Statement of the Louch family from their transplanting to Ireland in 17--', compiled by Richard Louch's great-grandson Fitzgibbon Louch and from the Louch family tree compiled by John Lascelles and Dorothy Anderson (copies of both in IAA, courtesy of John Lascelles). 

(1) According to his great-grandson, Richard Louch was a first cousin of 'Sir John Sloane', which could indicate a connection with the English architect, Sir John Soane or with the Irish Sloane family (see entries for John Swan Sloane and Fitzgibbon Louch) or, as Soane changed his surname from Swan to Soane, conceivably with both.  The same author's assertion that Richard was a student at Cambridge is not supported by Alumni Cantabrigienses.
(2) IB 27, 2 Oct 1869, 781. 
(2) In Farnham Collection (IAA, Edward McParland files, Acc. 2008/44).6).
(3) 'microfilm p1014' (IAA, Edward McParland files, Acc. 2008/44).
(4) Dorothy Stroud, Sir John Soane, Architect (1984), 46.
(5) See P. Rankin, Irish Building Ventures of the Earl Bishop of Derry (UAHS, 1972), 20-21, and Pierre du Prey, '"Je n'oublieray jamais": John Soane and Downhill', BIGS 21 (Jul-Dec 1978), 33.
(6) According to  Dorothy Stroud, Sir John Soane, Architect (1984), 73 n.6., Soane had a clerk of works called Robert Louch, who fell to his death from scaffolding in 1792 while he was working on Buckingham House, Pall Mall. As no Robert Louch appears in the Louch family tree, it seems at least possible that 'Robert Louch' was in fact Richard Louch and that Louch had returned from Ireland to work for Soane.


3 work entries listed in chronological order for LOUCH, RICHARD [1]


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Building: CO. ARMAGH, ARMAGH, PALACE DEMESNE, ARCHBISHOP'S PALACE
Date: 1775
Nature: Makes measured drawing of front doorcase.
Refs: Kevin V. Mulligan, The Buildings of Ireland: South Ulster (2013), 134-135.

Building: CO. ARMAGH, ARMAGH, ABBEY STREET, COUNTY INFIRMARY
Date: 1776
Nature: Finished south wing, with John Harvey.
Refs: NLI microfilm, pos.1014 (IAA, Edward McParland files, Acc.2008/44)

Building: CO. DERRY, DOWNHILL
Date: 1783
Nature: 'Mr Loutch' working in gallery; supplies plan for gallery. For Frederick Augustus Hervey, Bishop of Derry.
Refs: P. Rankin, Irish Building Ventures of the Earl Bishop of Derry (UAHS, 1972), 20-21.