Lawrence Roberts was born on the 10th of October 1894 in Alfreton. He was the middle son of George Roberts [born 1860] and Sarah Roberts [born 1865]. His siblings were George Albert Roberts [born 1884], Emma Roberts [born 1893], Elizabeth Roberts [born 1899], Beatrice Roberts [born 1901], John Roberts [born 1903], James Roberts [born 1905] and Betsy Roberts [born 1907]. His family were all coal miner contractors and by the time Lawrence was 16 he was working as a pony driver at Langwith Colliery.

Lawrence signed up as a Stoker 2nd Class in 1912. In October 1912 he was assigned to the Victory II and then in November of that year he moved to the Renown. In December 1912 he returned to the Victory II. In 1913 he returned again to the Victory II and spent 10 days in the cells for theft. He remained on the Victory II until July 1913 when he was moved to the Vindictive. In October 1913 he moved to the Eclipse and then in the same month to the Egmont. He returned to the Victory II in November 1913. In February 1914 Lawrence moved to HMS Birmingham. Lawrence was serving on the HMS Birmingham when it was shot at and rammed by the german submarine U15 only 5 days after the outbreak of war. He then returned to the Victory II in October 1915.

Whilst serving on the HMS Victory Lawrence was involved in a fatal accident, on the 13th of May 1916 he dived into a swimming pool and hit his head on the bottom. He suffered a fractured spine and heart failure and he died aged 21. Lawrence is buried at the Naval Cemetery in Gosport, Hampshire.