Dr Jill Taylor
Dr Jill Taylor, née Weatherill (Medicine, 1948), a savvy, resourceful scholar during World War II.
From a young age, Jill was destined for a career in medicine; however, the journey was not easy and she often faced challenges from her father. When she joined King’s in 1940, she was in a cohort that comprised 10 per cent girls.
Jill and her colleagues’ resolve to receive an education and achieve some semblance of normalcy during their studies was astounding. Bombing was commonplace, and students had to study in the basement. Further, money was sparse. Jill became a keen walker to navigate London and save a few pence. Jill previously shared: ‘… lunch was at the ABC Café in between the Strand’s King’s Building and Somerset House – always cheese paste on soggy toast.’ Summer involved hard labour for Jill, who partook in activities such as planting a field of leeks.
Jill’s tenacity paid off: she got married in 1945, had two sons and graduated.
Read Jill’s story here.