Fitzgibbon Louch

Fitzgibbon Louch
Architect, of Dublin, Derry, Belfast and New Zealand, active in Ireland from circa 1849 to 1875. Fitzgibbon Louch, who was born at Castle Grace, Co. Tipperary, on 31 October 1826, was a son of JOHN HOWARD LOUCH and his wife, Sarah Elizabeth, daughter of Maurice Fitzgibbon of Castle Grace, and a brother of RICHARD LUCIUS LOUCH[2] , THOMAS KINGSTON LOUCH , and WILLIAM LOUCH . His grandfather was a great friend of FRANCIS JOHNSTON , and he remembered being taken as a child by his grandmother to visit the widowed Mrs Johnston in her 'splendid mansion' in Eccles Street. He was also a cousin of JOHN SWAN SLOANE . In 1848 he and Sloane drew up the designs for the Fastnet lighthouse for GEORGE HALPIN[1]. (1) He was in business with his father at 78 Harcourt Street from 1849 but appears to have left Dublin in 1857. By October 1859 he was established in Sackville Street, Derry, and was engaged in the substantial commission to design Lough Eske Castle, Co. Donegal, for Thomas Brooks.(2) In 1860 he applied unsuccessfully to succeed STEWART GORDON as Surveyor to the Irish Society, but was passed over in favour of RICHARD WILLIAMSON. (3) In the same year he carried out various works at stations on the Londonderry & Enniskillen railway line.(4) During the next few years he was busy with numerous works - chiefly commercial and domestic - in the city of Derry and elsewhere in the north of Ireland. In the autumn of 1868 he opened a Dublin officein partnership with with HENRY WILMOT of Dublin, practising from 40 Lower Gardiner Street as well as Sackville Street, Derry.(5) Between September 1869 and May 1870 his address changed from Derry to Belfast. He was established at 45 Donegall Place, Belfast, in November 1871,(6) by which time the partnership with Wilmot appears to have ended. No further works are recorded in the Irish Builder after this date.

Disappointments in business, the ill-health of his wife, and local riots were among the reasons which persuaded Louch in 1875 to emigrate to Katikati, New Zealand, where George Vesey Stewart of Lisbeg, Ballygawley, Co. Tyrone, had obtained land for a special settlement. Louch and his wife and children(7) were among the first party of Ulster Protestant settlers who sailed from Belfast in May 1875. In New Zealand he continued to practise as a civil engineer and architect and from 1888 he was county clerk and engineer for the Tauranga County Council. He visited England in 1881, when he is recorded in the census as a guest of Joseph Shaw, an Irish-born 'retired manufacturer', and his family at Woodleigh, The Park, Leckhampton, Gloucestershire. He died in Auckland on 24 June 1911. His wife, Isabella Magee, whom he had married at Keady, Co. Armagh, on 4 August 1853, had predeceased him in 1908. He had twelve children, the eldest of whom, John Da Vinci Louch (1854-1937), became a prominent railway engineer in New Zealand

The Irish Architectural Archive, holds a map by Louch of Powerscourt demesne, dated September 1851, showing the site of proposed gardens and an orchard.(8)

RIAI: elected member, 3 January 1853;(9); struck off 30 Oct 1866.(10)
GLFI: member of Lodge 69 (Derry) in 1863.(11)

Addresses:(12) Work: 78 Harcourt Street, 1849-1857; Sackville Street, Derry, 1859-1869; 45 Donegall Place, Belfast, 1871; Spring Street, Tauranga, New Zealand.
Home: 1 Kenilworth Square, Rathmines, 1857; Castle Grace, Katikati, New Zealand.

Works

Building: CO. WICKLOW, POWERSCOURT
Date: 1851
Nature: Proposed gardens and orchard.
Refs: Site map, signed and dated 1851, in IAA, Powerscourt Albums, Acc. 89/62.1/60/1.

Building: CO. DERRY, DERRY, LONE MOOR ROAD, CEMETERY
Date: 1859
Nature: FL wins prize for best design for principal entrance and superintendent's residence. Gothic, with 120ft frontage. Scotch sandstone. For Derry Corporation. Builder: Matthew McClelland (£635)..
Refs: DB 1, 1 Oct 1859, 128; B 17, 8 Oct 1859, 663

Building: CO. DERRY, TULLYHOE (LIMAVADY), MANSE
Date: 1859
Nature: New church erected for Remonstrant Presbyterian congregation. Elizabethan style. Contractor: James Alison, Limavady.
Refs: DB 1, 1 Oct 1859, 133

Building: CO. DONEGAL, LOUGH ESKE CASTLE
Date: 1859-1866
Nature: Elizabethan style, for Thomas Brooke. Builder: Albert Williams. Clerk of Works: Michael Stedman.
Refs: DB 1, 1 Oct 1859, 128; 8, 1 Dec 1866, 282(illus.)

Building: CO. DERRY, DERRY, HOUSE OF REFUGE
Date: 1860
Nature: 3-bay,3-storey house.
Refs: Elevation repr. J.S. Curl, The Londonderry Plantation 1609-1914 (1986), Pl. 352.

Building: CO. DERRY, BANAGHER, PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
Date: 1860-61
Nature: Gallery completed at expense of Fishmongers' Company. Builder: James Adams, Culmore.
Refs: DB 2, 1 Feb 1860, 204; 3, 15 May 1861, 519

Building: CO. ANTRIM, BALLYNACREA HOUSE (BALLYMONEY)
Date: 1861
Nature: Rebuilding of house on site of old mansion, for Marcus Gage. Italianate with with frontage of 107 ft and Ionic portico. Large conservatory. Builder: William Graham, York St, Belfast. Clerk of Works: Mr Getty.
Refs: DB 3, 15 Apr 1861, 486-7; C.E.B. Brett, Buildings of Co. Antrim (1996), 117(illus.)

Building: CO. DERRY, DERRY, FOUNTAIN HILL (WATERSIDE), HOUSE
Date: 1861
Nature: 2 italianate villas, one for William McCarter, proprietor of Fountain Hill, the other for Robert Cooke. Contractor: James Harrison, Derry.
Refs: DB 3, 1 May 1861, 505

Building: CO. DERRY, DERRY, FOUNTAIN HILL (WATERSIDE), HOUSES (002)
Date: 1861
Nature: 2 italianate villas, one for William McCarter, proprietor of Fountain Hill, the other for Robert Cooke. Contractor: James Harrison, Derry.
Refs: DB 3, 1 May 1861, 505

Building: CO. DERRY, DERRY, CRAWFORD SQUARE
Date: 1861
Nature: Laid out by FL, for Samuel Law Crawford.
Refs: DB 3, 1 May 1861, 505; for lawsuit regarding same, see Irish Times, 19 Mar 1862.

Building: CO. ANTRIM, PORTRUSH, HOUSE
Date: 1861
Nature: Italianate marine villa to be erected overlooking harbour, for Capt. G.C. Beresford Stirling of Agivey House, Ballymoney.
Refs: DB 3, 15 Apr 1861, 486

Building: CO. DERRY, BANAGHER, PRESBYTERIAN MANSE
Date: 1861
Nature: New manse in Elizabethan syle erected. Dungiven stone dressings.
Refs: DB 3, 15 May 1861, 519

Building: CO. TYRONE, FINTONA, SCHOOL & MASTER'S RESIDENCE
Date: 1861
Nature: For Rev. Henry Tottenham. Builder: Jos McElroy. £520.
Refs: DB 3, 15 May 1861, 519

Building: CO. DERRY, DERRY, SACKVILLE STREET (& STRAND ROAD), SHOPS (006) & WAREHOUSES
Date: 1861-622
Nature: For James Corscaden. Contract of Hugh McGinley (£3,850) accepted, Jan 1862.In course of erection, Apr 1862.
Refs: Elevation, signed and dated 1861, in collection of Irish Society, London, repr. in J.S. Curl, The Londonderry Plantation 1609-1914 (1986), Pl. 353; another set of drawings in collection of Albert Corscaden, Newtown Lodge, Beechill Rd, Newtownbreda, Belfast (2000); DB 4, 15 Jan,15 Apr 1862, 20,89

Building: CO. DERRY, DERRY, WATERSIDE, HOUSES
Date: 1862
Nature: Numerous villas recently erected, more to come.
Refs: DB 4, 15 Apr 1862, 89

Building: CO. DONEGAL, RAPHOE, WIDOWS' ALMS HOUSES
Date: 1862
Nature: Repairs. Builder: Robert Ferguson, Derry. £220. (Founded 1752)
Refs: DB 4, 15 Apr 1862, 104

Building: CO. ANTRIM, BALLAMORE (BALLYMONEY)
Date: 1863
Nature: Italianate mansion & offices for J. Thomson Bryan. Clerk of Works: Mr Getty.
Refs: DB 5, 15 Feb 1863, 33

Building: CO. TYRONE, GLENGEEN (FINTONA), GLENGEEN LODGE?
Date: 1864
Nature: Handsome mansion with extensive offices, Italianate, in course of erection. Contractor: George Armstrong, Brookeborough.
Refs: DB 6, 15 Apr 1864, 70

Building: CO. DONEGAL, BUNCRANA, RAILWAY STATION (LONDONDERRY & LOUGH SWILLY RAILWAY TERMINUS)
Date: 1864
Nature: Being erected for Londonderry & Lough Swilly Railway Co. Faced with broken ashlar, white and red bridck and Scotch stone dressings.
Refs: DB 6, 1 May 1864, 87

Building: CO. DERRY, DERRY, SACKVILLE STREET, NO. 015
Date: 1864
Nature: Alts. & adds. to house & premises, for Mr Holmes., in progress. Contractor: Hugh McGinley.
Refs: DB 6, 1 Jun 1864, 111

Building: CO. DERRY, DERRY, MAGAZINE GATE
Date: 1864-65
Nature: FL wins competition for designing same for Derry Corporation. Corinthian order. Faced with Glasgow stone. Estimated cost £500. Completed 1865. Contractor: McClelland.
Refs: DB 6, 1 Oct 1864, 201; 7, 1 Oct 1865, 238; APSD, L, 134

Building: CO. DERRY, DERRY, NORTHLAND ROAD, MAGEE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE
Date: 1865
Nature: Did FL have something to do with completion of college after death of Stewart Gordon in 1860?
Refs: See notice of opening in DB 7, 15 Oct 1865, 251

Building: CO. ANTRIM, PORTGLENONE HOUSE
Date: 1866
Nature: Extensive repairs & improvements completed for Robert Jackson Alexander. Expenditure about £2,800. Contractor: James Shannon, Orchard St, Derry.
Refs: DB 8, 15 May 1866, 133; Mary Cecilia Lyons, Illustrated Incumbered Estates Ireland, 1850-1905 (1993), 117-118(illus.)

Building: CO. DERRY, PELLIPAR HOUSE (DUNGIVEN)
Date: 1866
Nature: Picture room, alts. & adds., for James Ogilby completed. Contractor: Samuel Mercer, Limavady.
Refs: DB 8, 1 May 1866, 119

Building: CO. TYRONE, AUGHNACLOY, FLAX SPINNING MILLS
Date: 1866
Nature: 2-storey building, just completed.
Refs: Tenders invited for glazing same, General Advertiser, 6 Jan 1866; DB 8, 1 Nov 1866, 259

Building: CO. TYRONE, AUGHNACLOY, HOUSES
Date: 1866
Nature: Elizabethan style model dwellings for workers in flax spinning mill about to be erected.
Refs: DB 8, 1 Nov 1866, 259

Building: CO. DERRY, ARDMORE (LIMAVADY), BALTEAGH GLEBE HOUSE
Date: 1866
Nature: Addition (dining room, back stairs, bedrooms &c.). Builder: Samuel Mercer, Limavady.
Refs: DB 8, 1 Sep 1866, 218

Building: CO. DERRY, DERRY, QUAY, LONDONDERRY & LIVERPOOL STEAMSHIP CO.
Date: 1867
Nature: Extensive stores & offices erected. Builder: M. McClelland. Cost: £2,500.
Refs: IB 9, 15 Jun 1867, 157

Building: CO. DERRY, DERRY, WILLIAM STREET, STORES & HOUSES
Date: 1867-69
Nature: To be erected for James Corscaden. 3 blocks of 4-storey stores with frontage to a new street of nearly 600 feet, and 5 3-storey houses with shops & attics. Contractor: D. Gamble (alias Gamble & Boyd), London St. Cost of whole about £8,000. Five additional houses contemplated.
Refs: IB 9, 15 Jul 1867, 186-7; 11, 1 Jan 1869, 3

Building: CO. TYRONE, OMAGH, BRIDGE STREET, ORANGE HALL
Date: 1869
Nature: By Louch & Wilmot. FS laid 18 Aug 1869. Contractor: Samuel McClean, Omagh.
Refs: IB 11, 1 Sep 1869, 205

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, MOLESWORTH STREET, NO. 017-18 (FREEMASONS' HALL)
Date: 1869
Nature: Competition entrant. ((Motto: 3 concentric circles.)
Refs: Designs in Grand Lodge of Freemasons, Dublin, Masonic Hall with building committee minutes (information from Marion Gaule), see also Tony Browne, 'A Building Study (2008) of the Freemason's Hall', 26,http://irishmasonicjewels.ie/(last visited Feb 2010).

Building: CO. LOUTH, ARDEE, TOWN HALL
Date: 1869
Nature: Louch & Wilmot competition entrants. Design exh. RIAI conversazione 16 Dec 1869.
Refs: IB 12, 1 Jan 1870, 4

Building: CO. LOUTH, ARDEE, FILGATE HALL (PROPOSED)
Date: 1869
Nature: Competition entrant in partnership with Henry Wilmot.
Refs: P.J. Geraghty, A Heritage in Stone: the life and career of architect John Murray (1994), 51

Building: CO. ARMAGH, KEADY, MARKET HOUSE
Date: 1870
Nature: Venetian Gothic building with circular tower. Signed in mirror writing by FL to left of door. Signed by contractor, John Cullen (Collen?), to right of door. (Destroyed by bomb, 1970.)
Refs: C.E.B. Brett, Court Houses and Market Houses of the Province of Ulster (UAHS, 1973), 38-40,41(illus.); Kevin V. Mulligan, The Buildings of Ireland: South Ulster (2013), 365.

Building: CO. DOWN, HOLYWOOD, GAS WORKS
Date: 1870
Nature: Enlargement. By Louch & Wilmot. Contractor: William Minick, Holywood.
Refs: IB 12, 15 May 1870, 114

Building: CO. ARMAGH, KEADY, TOWN HALL
Date: 1871
Nature: New. Venetian Gothic. Opened May 1871. Builder: John Collen, Portadown.
Refs: DB 13, 1 Jun 1871, 139

Building: CO. ANTRIM, BELFAST, MALONE PARK, HOUSE
Date: 1871
Nature: Villa residence on to be erected new avenue, Malone Park. Tender of John Moore (£825.8s.) accepted.
Refs: IB 13, 1 Nov 1871, 288

Building: CO. TYRONE, BALLYGAWLEY PARK
Date: 1871
Nature: Farmstead, alts. & adds. to stable offices &c, for Sir John Marcus Stewart.. Contractor: John Collen, Portadown.
Refs: IB 13, 1 Nov 1871, 288

Building: CO. TYRONE, BALLYGAWLEY, LISBEG HOUSE
Date: 1871
Nature: Alts. & adds. Tender of Collen (Portadown) for £725 accepted.
Refs: IB 13, 1 Nov 1871, 288

Building: CO. ARMAGH, KEADY, MEMORIAL TO WILLIAM KIRK
Date: 1871
Nature: Gothic monument to William Kirk, MP. Tender of John Collen for stonecutter's work (£340) accepted, Nov 1871.
Refs: IB 13, 1 Nov 1871, 288; Kevin V. Mulligan, The Buildings of Ireland: South Ulster (2013), 366.

References
All information in this entry not otherwise accounted for is from Mrs Dorothy Anderson (nee Louch), 7/88 Clowes Street, South Yarra, 3141, Australia, from Shirley Arabin, ‘Keady to Katikati: Fitzgibbon Louch, Ulster Architect’, a paper read at the conference 'The Hidden Irish: Ulster/New Zealand Migration and Cultural Transfers', Victoria University of Wellington, July 2004, and from the family tree and history compiled by John Lascelles, 2009 (copy in IAA, Jones file L73); the history includes a transcript of Fitzgibbon Louch's 'Statement of the Louch family from their transplanting to Ireland in 17--'. The IAA holds a photograph of Louch as an older man, courtesy of Shirley Arabin.

(1) IB 22, 1 Sep 1880, 251.
(2) DB 1, 1 Oct 1859, 128.
(3) J.S. Curl, The Londonderry Plantation 1609-1914 (1986), 114.
(4) DB 2, 1 Sep 1860, 330.
(5) Irish Times, 20,27 Oct 1868; DB 11, 1 Jan 1869, 3; 12, 15 May 1870, 114; Irish Times, 23 Feb 1869.
(6) IB 13, 1 Nov 1871, 288.
(7) By this time they had at least five children: John Da Vinci (b. 1855c), Richard Maurice (b. 3 Nov 1864), Isabella (b. 23 Dec 1865), Amy Lilian (b.10 October 1867) and Sarah Eliza (b. 10 Jul 1872)(www.familysearch.org).
(8) Powerscourt Albums, Acc. 89/62, Nos. 1/60/1, 1/74/1.
(9) RIAI general meeting minutes, 20 Nov 1852, 107; council meeting minutes, 27 Nov 1852, 107; general meeting minutes, 3 Jan 1853, 110.
(10) RIAI council meeting minutes, 30 Oct 1866, 212.
(11) Records of Lodge 69 in GLFI archives, Freemasons' Hall, Molesworth St, Dublin.

(1) From Thom's and Post Office directories.

Source: Dictionary of Irish Architects 1720 - 1940
https://www.dia.ie/architects/view/3223/LOUCH-FITZGIBBON#tab_biography