 He was educated at a private school, St. Domingo House, near Liverpool, and then at University College, London, graduating in the University of London in 1843.Roscoe was called to the bar in 1850, but after two years relinquished practice, partly for health reasons, but also from doubts of his qualifications for his profession.He married, and then lived mostly in Wales, where he was interested in slate quarries and spent time writing.