 Lloyd was born on 12 February 1870 in Hoxton , London . Her father John Wood ( 1847 – 1940 ) , was an artificial flower arranger and waiter , and his wife Matilda Mary Caroline née Archer ( 1849 – 1931 ) , was a dressmaker and costume designer . Lloyd was the eldest of nine children and became known within the family circle as Tilley . The Wood family were respectable , hard @-@ working , and financially comfortable . Lloyd often took career advice from her mother , whose influence was strong in the family . Lloyd attended a school in Bath Street , London , but disliked formal education and often played truant ; with both her parents working , she adopted a maternal role over her siblings , helping to keep them entertained , clean and well cared @-@ for . Along with her sister Alice , she arranged events in which the Wood children performed at the family home . She enjoyed the experience of entertaining her family and decided to form a minstrel act in 1879 called the Fairy Bell troupe comprising her brothers and sisters . 
