Eileen Cain was born in Islington, London, on 7th January, 1920. She went to school at five and left at fourteen when she found work as a machinist in Edmonton.

In August, 1939, her family moved to Chingford. Eileen worked at the Rego factory in Edmonton hit by a V2 Rocket. She now found work as a van guard on the railway. This included delivering fish to Billingsgate Market.

After the war John Simkin introduced Eileen to Jack Hughes, who had just returned from fighting in the Desert War in Egypt. They were married on 28th June, 1947. They lived in Loughton before moving to Rayleigh in 1960.

Eileen Hughes was taken to Southend Hospital after a fall that broke her hip. She died on 8th October, 2007 after picking up and infection while in the hospital.