He captained the Derbyshire team between 1902 and 1905 and also played for London County and Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC).

[1] His father owned a cotton spinning business at Dukinfield and in 1883 Frederic Charles Arkwright brought him to Matlock, Derbyshire to revive Masson Mill to meet the growing market for sewing thread generated by the popularity of sewing machines.

[2] Lawton senior built a substantial mansion Woodbank, later Cromford Court, overlooking Masson Mill.

He also played matches for London County from 1900 to 1903 and for the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) from 1905 to 1914.

Lawton captained Derbyshire between 1902 and 1905, although for part of 1904 Maynard Ashcroft held the captaincy.