Doll was born at Hampton, Middlesex (now part of south-west London) into an affluent family, though his father's work as a doctor was cut short by multiple sclerosis.
Doll lahir di Hampton, Middlesex (sekarang bagian dari barat daya London) yang berasal dari keluarga kaya raya, meskipun pekerjaan ayahnya sebagai dokter terhenti oleh sklerosis ganda.