Born on 23 October 1857, the eldest child of John Moss Lawrence, a company director, and Emily Asher, his wife. He was educated at University College School and St Bartholomew's Hospital, and afterwards at Vienna. He served as senior house surgeon 1884-85 at St Bartholomew's, and later as chief aural assistant. Lawrence later became surgeon in charge of the throat and ear department at the Seamen's Hospital, Greenwich, and ultimately consulting surgeon to the Western General Dispensary. Lawrence married in June 1886 Elizabeth Rachel Joseph; there were four sons and a daughter of the marriage. He lived latterly at 44 Belsize Square, Hampstead, where he died on 5 July 1949, aged 91. He was a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries and of the Royal Numismatic Society.