She was a member of V. Gordon Childe's team of archaeologists at Skara Brae and Kindrochat, as well as the writer of some of the first guidebooks for state-owned historic properties in Scotland.
Miss Simpson has not only a sound grounding in the principle of archaeology... but also other rare qualifications...'[3] Margaret was successful in her application and held the post until 1948.
[2] In doing so, Margaret became the first of Childe's student to obtain permanent employment in archaeology and so has been dubbed the first professional female archaeologist in Scotland.
Simpson participated in the excavation at Skara Brae, led by Prof. Gordon Childe in the years 1927–1930, and was later acknowledged by him in a monograph on the subject.
[4] They were initially considered to be either tourists or local women visiting the site, but are now identified as Prof. Childe's students and members of his excavation crew.
[5][6][7] In 1929 Simpson was also one of the team of archaeologists who excavated the chambered cairn at Kindrochat (aka Kindrochet) in Perthshire, once more under the leadership of Gordon Childe.