Laurence Cussen, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Date of Death

Laurence Cussen

Surveyor, geologist

Date of Birth: 01-Oct-1843

Place of Birth: County Limerick, Munster, Ireland

Date of Death: 09-Nov-1903

Profession: geologist

Nationality: New Zealand

Zodiac Sign: Libra

Laurence Cussen (1 October 1843 – 9 November 1903) was a pioneering surveyor and geologist.
He was born in Rockhill, two kilometres southwest of Bruree County Limerick, Ireland on 1 October 1843, to John Sandes Cussen and Catherine Carroll.
He was educated at St Stanislaus College Jesuit school at Tullabeg, Co.
Offaly. He worked for a time with the East India Company before moving to New Zealand.
William Cussen his brother, also worked as a surveyor, and both of them played some rugby while in Auckland.
From 1876 he spent 15 years triangulating a large part of the former Auckland Province.
He published many research papers including early documentation of Maori people and was a member of the Royal Geographical Society of Australasia.He died at home in Hamilton in November 1903 after a short illness, and was buried in Hamilton West Cemetery.
He was survived by 8 of his 10 children and his widow.
One of his sons, Jack, lived at Ruapuke and, from 1927 till his death in 1950, at nearby Te Mata.