A mini-series in which historian Tracey Gregory talks with Naomi Clifford about the inhabitants of Loughborough Road in Brixton, South London.

Tracey’s blog, Loughborough Road Stories, explores the people and buildings of Loughborough Road and surrounding streets over the past 180 years.

This is a collaborative project between Morley Radio and The Door history podcast.

Music-hall Artiste, Fishmonger and Matriarch

As a young girl, Irene Eades started performing in music-hall, no doubt inspired by the numerous artistes who were her neighbours in Camberwell and Brixton.

In later life, Irene told her family that she had known famous music-hall star Marie Lloyd, who herself lived briefly on Loughborough Road in the early 1890s.

In 1907, aged 18, Irene married hairdresser George Pye and her career as a performer came to an end. In 1915 George joined up to fight in the First World War. By the time he returned, Irene was running a fish shop on Robsart Street, Brixton. They opened another fish shop on Loughborough Road in 1921.

The mother of six children, Irene accommodated her large extended family, and also rented rooms to non-family members.

Irene and George outside their Morden fish shop. Photo courtesy of Ken Pye

The Pyes’ former fish shop premises at 84/86 Loughborough Road