He was 21 when he left Wellington, New Zealand in Sep 1905 for London  on the ship "Rimutaka "Occ: Electrical Engineer" with his older brothers John and William.

Auckland Star 23 Oc 1905: Callers at the High Commissioner's offices this week: Mr W. R Hursthouse (Nelson), Mr J. F. Hursthouse (Christchurch), Mr L. F. Hursthouse (Wellington).

WW1 Central Flying School..—To be Second Lieutenant; Aug. 5th, 1915: Leonard F. Hursthouse;

Aug. 9th, 1915. Capt. Leonard Franklin Hursthouse. (Italy.)—This officer has rendered most valuable service on reconnaissance and photographic duty, frequently under very adverse weather conditions. On October 30 he took a prominent part in an attack on hostile columns, dropping his bombs and scattering personnel with machine-gun fire from a very low altitude. Whilst so engaged he was severely wounded, but managed to bring his machine back.

Nelson Evening Mail , 13 Sept 1916 Second-Lieutenant L. F. Hursthouse, of the Royal Flying Corps, who was recently admitted to No. 32 General Hospital at Port Said suffering from a fractured leg and injury to face, is a son of the late Mr Richmond Hursthouse of Motueka, and an old boy of Nelson College.

He  married in America - details unknown

Hawera & Normanby Star, 6 June 1922: The death is reported from Florida, U S.A., of Captain L. F. Hursthouse, D.F.C., late of the Royal Flying Corps. Captain L. F. Hursthouse, while serving with the Flying Corps in Egypt, was wounded. In the later stages of the war he was engaged on the Italian front, and was there badly wounded in an engagement in which he won his D.F.C.