Jirair Pashaian was born in England on May 17, 1915 to Samuel Pashaian and Takouhi Pashaian, née Keutchekian. He had three siblings: Anahid Bournazian (born July 24, 1910 in Armenia; by 1947 resident in Tirana, Albania); Herair (born October 18, 1917 in England; by 1947 resident in New York); and Haig (born December 7, 1919 in London; by 1947 resident in London).

            Jirair’s father Samuel, a native of Sivas, located in the Armenian heartland of the Ottoman Empire, immigrated to England in 1911 and five years later opened up his own business, trading as the Armenian Carpet Repairing Co., at 2 Victoria Avenue, Bishopsgate, London. At the time of his application for naturalization in 1948, Samuel operated his business at 8 Devonshire Row, Bishopsgate, assisted by his sons Jirair and Haig, both of whom had served in the British military.

            In 1947, Samuel and Jirair became partners in the company, with Pashaian père receiving seven twelfths of profits and his son the other five. By March 1948, the business letterhead shows Samuel, Jirair, and Haig as co-partners, with the shop doubling as a dealership in “High Grade Oriental Carpets & Rugs.” Business accounts for 1945-1948 showed a starting capital balance of £554, which by the end of the period had risen to £1,462. The Home Office noted that the company appeared “to be in a fair way of business and enquiries in trade circles.” In his interview with Metropolitan Police, Samuel stated that he was “not interested in politics.” Samuel’s letterhead (1948-1949) displayed his nationality as “Armenian,” and that of his two sons-partners, “J. Pashaian” and “H. Pashaian,” as “British.” Jirair’s details are derived from the naturalization application of his father.