Although i was not born in this area i know many stories from my mom and gran who lived there until after the second world war.
Gran who is now long gone ran a drapers [clothes] shop in Upper Highgate Street. She also did a few side lines like a lending library and a loan facility.
Her mother collected the weekly repayments for the loans which would have been fine if she did not have to pass a number of pubs on the way home. Result? She returned and fell flat on her face up the shop step.