His father hailed from London, and he said it was a way to recognise his family.
Ken moved to Hawke’s Bay from the Hutt Valley with his wife Bev and their two young sons around 1969.
He joined Pat Dagg and Peter Weston in a surveying partnership.
Ken Thorn was a prominent surveyor and involved in the Knightsbridge subdivision project. He worked until he was 97.
He moved to Knightsbridge about 25 years ago, and continued working from home well into his 90s.
He now lives at Radius Hampton Court.
Ken has three children, one daughter and two sons, five grandchildren and four great grandchildren.
He celebrated with family and friends with a party on Friday.