Margerie Venables Taylor

Margerie Venables Taylor, (20 January 1881 – 24 December 1963) was an archaeologist and editor of the Journal of Roman Studies, and held posts including Secretary for the Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies. She was particularly instrumental in recording excavations in Roman Britain.

Early life and education Margerie Venables Taylor was born in 1881. She was a native of Chester in Cheshire. and his wife, Agnes née Venables. She was educated at Queen's School, Chester and Somerville College, Oxford, where she took finals in Modern History in 1903 but, as a woman, at that date could not be awarded a degree.

Career Secretary for the Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies between 1923 and 1954, becoming vice-president in 1954 and president from 1956 to 1958. Venables Taylor was the first woman to hold the office of vice-president of the Society of Antiquaries. Vice Secretary of the Society of Antiquaries in London Elected Honorary Research Fellow of Somerville College, Oxford in 1946 In 1947 she became an honorary member of the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle upon Tyne In 1949 she was awarded with the CBE

She wrote a large number of articles for various archaeological journals, and for many years edited the Journal of Roman Studies. She contributed material on Roman Britain to the Victoria County Histories. She edited the medieval manuscript, De laude Cestrie, an urban eulogy praising Chester.

She also excavated in North Wales with Mortimer Wheeler, who had co-signed her election proposal to the Society of Antiquaries.

As joint secretary of the Society of Promotion of Roman Studies and editor of the journal, she made the decision to focus resources on the journal at the cost of other projects, and to publish the annual account of excavation in Roman Britain. She also created the Congress of Classical Studies, held jointly with the Hellenic Society and the Classical Association, which became a triennial event.