Join us for an engaging evening with Suresh Singh, author of A Modest Living: Memoirs of a Cockney Sikh (Spitalfields Life). Hosted by Attia Shiraz, the event will feature a Q&A session and a curated vinyl playlist celebrating music, identity, and heritage.
Suresh Singh shares the remarkable story of his father, Joginder Singh, who arrived in Spitalfields in 1949, leaving behind a life in Punjab to support his family from Britain. Joginder thrived in the vibrant, multicultural community around Brick Lane, and his journey is candidly captured in Suresh’s memoir.
Punk enthusiasts may also recognize Suresh as the drummer for Spizzenergi, who toured with Siouxsie and the Banshees and The Cure in 1979. His reflections weave together family history, postwar cultural shifts, and the punk rebellion of his youth—set against the backdrop of East London’s evolving identity.
This in-person event offers a unique blend of storytelling, music, and spiritual insight. It’s a celebration of modern Britishness in all its diversity.
Signed copies of the book will be available to purchase.
The entry fee for this event is £5. If you are unable to afford the fee please email lene.taylor@rbkc.gov.uk for free entry.
