Born in Stoke-on-Trent into a family of pottery workers, Lawton was apprenticed as a potter’s modeller and studied at Hanley School of Art in the 1870s, winning scholarships and several prizes. From c.1883-c.1890 he worked at the Watcombe Pottery, Torquay, modelling figures and busts, before returning to Staffordshire to work as an independent modeller, and producing several busts and figures for the parian ware manufacturers, Robinson & Leadbeater. In the early 20th century, he joined the earthenware manufacturers, Grimwades Ltd., as ‘Designer and Modeller’ where he remained until his retirement. Like most pottery employees, much of his work was issued under his employers’ names, rather than his own. His son, Edwin Lawton, (1880-1941) was also a modeller.