Lawrence's father was a keen amateur photographer. He taught his sons how to use a camera and to process plates and prints. Lawrence in particular shared this interest; during his university years he helped prepare slides for his friend E. T. Leeds of the Ashmolean, and took many photographers of medieval churches and castles. He often used this camera of his father's.

His skill must have been considerable, because a few months after he graduated from Oxford he took over responsibility for photography and processing at the British Museum’s Carchemish excavations in Syria. The camera is constructed from mahogany, brass and aluminium, and used 16x 12cm plates. It is fitted with a 7.27in lens by Taylor, Taylor & Hobson.

Museum of the History of Science, Oxford (69-183(30))

Main camera body: 20x20x6

Provenance: Given by A. W. Lawrence, 1969