Tributes have been paid in Parliament to Eunice Butterfield, a “matriarch of St George’s” and beautician for generations in the East End.

Lovitta Foggo, the Minister of Government Reform, said that Ms Butterfield, who died last month at the age of 93, ran her beauty salon for “longer than many of us who sit in this room have been alive”.

Ms Foggo added: “She raised her family and educated her children because of that profession — she was a matriarch.”

Renée Ming, MP for St George’s North, said there was “not a St George’s girl who didn’t have her hair done by Mrs Butterfield over the years”.

Ms Butterfield’s parlour ran for more than 60 years. She was also devoted to the Richard Allen AME Church.

Ms Ming told the House of Assembly: “There is definitely some legacy and learning that can be taken from that.”