Iria Suarez: A volunteer’s tale

Design historian Iria Suarez researched the family of renowned local architect, Alexander Dick Gough (1804—71)

Tales from the Crypt was an insightful project in which I was delighted to take part.

As a researcher, I was in charge of investigating the lives of a particular family who were buried in the crypt of Holy Trinity Church in Cloudesley Square during the mid-nineteenth century. This project was an extraordinary opportunity to develop further my research skills and to use materials from outstanding archives. For instance, together with a group of researchers, we had an in-depth introduction to the Islington Local History Centre. This introduction gave us fundamental knowledge that enabled us to underpin primary sources about the lives of the people buried in the crypt of the building.

As a design historian, I am particularly interested in the material culture of children and childhood in urban environments. My focus within this project started with the investigation of several infants buried in the Crypt. This led to the development of a narrative about a family, the Gough’s, who are the family of renowned local architect Alexander Dick Gough (1804—71).

In this work, I was guided by the volunteer coordinator and social historian Dr Susan Skedd, who was a pleasure to work with. Together, we undertook archival research using Ancestry, the UK family history records, at The London Metropolitan Archives. The personal and professional value gained in this project is totally invaluable.