Clara Millicent Taylor

Millicent Taylor (17 October 1871 – 23 December 1960) FRSC MSc DSc was a chemist who, in 1904, was one of the nineteen women who petitioned to join the Chemical Society

Education and early career Taylor graduated from Cheltenham Ladies College in 1888 to 1893, with an external (London) BSc degree and worked for the college until 1919, becoming Head of Chemistry in 1894. She oversaw the design and building of a science wing for the College in 1904, and later she was appointed Head of Science (1911). During this time she was also undertaking research in organic and physical chemistry at the University College Bristol (later the University of Bristol). She cycled a 80mile return trip each week to undertake her studies. She was awarded Bristol University MSc (1910) and DSc in 1911. She worked as research chemist at H.M. Factory Oldbury and in the Ministry of Munitions. After a brief post-war return to Cheltenham College, Taylor became a Demonstrator (1921) and then Lecturer (1923) in Chemistry, at Bristol University until retiring in 1937. However she continued to work in the laboratories until she died, aged 89.