Laurence Cussen

Laurence Cussen (1 October 1843 – 9 November 1903) was a New Zealand surveyor and geologist. He was born in Rockhill, County Limerick, Ireland on 1 October 1843, to John Sandes Cussen and Catheine 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 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.