Helen Kate Shapiro is an English

English people

The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...

 singer and actress. She is best known for her 1960s UK chart topper

Record chart

A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....

s, "You Don't Know

You Don't Know (Helen Shapiro song)

"You Don't Know " is a 1961 single by Helen Shapiro. It was written by John Schroeder and Michael Hawker and released on the Columbia label in the United Kingdom on 29 June 1961. "You Don't Know" topped the UK charts for three weeks beginning 10 August....

" and "Walkin' Back to Happiness

Walkin' Back to Happiness

"Walkin' Back to Happiness" is a 1961 single by Helen Shapiro. The song was written by John Schroeder and Michael Edwin Hawker and was released in the United Kingdom on the Columbia label on 29 September 1961. It was number one in the UK for three weeks beginning 19 October, but only reached #100...

".
Shapiro was born at Bethnal Green Hospital in the East End

East End of London

The East End of London, also known simply as the East End, is the area of London, England, United Kingdom, east of the medieval walled City of London and north of the River Thames. Although not defined by universally accepted formal boundaries, the River Lea can be considered another boundary...

 district of Bethnal Green

Bethnal Green

Bethnal Green is a district of the East End of London, England and part of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, with the far northern parts falling within the London Borough of Hackney. Located northeast of Charing Cross, it was historically an agrarian hamlet in the ancient parish of Stepney,...

, London. Her early childhood was spent in a Clapton

Upper Clapton

Upper Clapton is a district in the London Borough of Hackney. It is bounded by the Hackney districts of Stamford Hill to the west, Lower Clapton and Lea Bridge to the south and the Haringey district of South Tottenham to the north...

 council house in the London borough of Hackney

London Borough of Hackney

The London Borough of Hackney is a London borough of North/North East London, and forms part of inner London. The local authority is Hackney London Borough Council....

, where she attended Clapton Park Comprehensive School until Christmas 1961. She is the granddaughter

Family

In human context, a family is a group of people affiliated by consanguinity, affinity, or co-residence. In most societies it is the principal institution for the socialization of children...

 of Russian Jewish immigrant

Immigration

Immigration is the act of foreigners passing or coming into a country for the purpose of permanent residence...

s and her parents, who were piece-workers in the garment industry, attended Lea Bridge Road Synagogue.