Suleman ‘Solly’ Vesamia obituary

Suleman 'Solly' Vesamia in his A&S Cycles bike shop

When the news broke on 1 May that  bike shop owner and backbone of his community Suleman “Solly” Vesamia had passed away aged 47, a few mourners gathered outside his home on Newick Road.

In keeping with Islamic tradition, his funeral was held the same day. As more mourners arrived to pay their respects, a neighbour opened her doors to offer somewhere to sit away from the crowded pavement. The news began to spread. Before long the street was swarming.

By the time the procession reached Clapton Mosque though, word had fully got round. The crowd of assembled shopkeepers, residents, friends and family numbered well over 400 and was spilling into the street. To accommodate all those assembled, the funeral service had to be held in the mosque’s car park.

During the 29 years that Solly had owned and operated the A&S Cycles shop on Chatsworth Road, he dedicated himself wholeheartedly to regenerating the area that had become his home when he moved to London at a very young age.

Solly was originally born in Yorkshire in 1967 to Muslim parents from the Indian region of Gujurat. His father worked in the textiles industry and his mother was a housewife.

After moving to Clapton, Solly attended South Hackney School, which closed its doors in 1982 when Solly was 15, the same year that Solly’s father died.

Four years later at the age of 19, Solly set up the A&S Cycles Shop by himself. Its enduring popularity nearly three decades later is a testament to his approach of firmly placing people ahead of profit.

Countless loyal customers remember his generous disposition and knowledgeable conversation; very few can recall being charged for check-ups or minor work that he did.

Solly met his wife Shameem in 1995 through family friends and they were engaged for just one year before getting married on 27 July 1996. Shameem describes their 17 years of marriage as “the happiest of my life.”

He was an instrumental part of the Chatsworth Road Traders and Residents Association (CRTRA) from its very earliest days and was key in bringing the Chatsworth Road Festival to fruition.

As a founding festival committee member from 2001, he lovingly cultivated it from its embryonic stages, and it enjoyed a successful five-year run between 2002 and 2007.

Whilst heavily involved in the festival’s organisation, Solly eschewed the limelight in favour of working in the background: setting up, taking care of the electricity and lighting for the stalls, and marshalling the entertainment.

Alexis Keir, who worked with Solly on the Chatsworth Road Festival said he was “wisdom and kindness personified”.

Fellow committee member and firm friend, Ben Scott-Robinson, said: “He was such an integral part of the Festival it’s hard to imagine how it could have happened as smoothly without him.”

The festival laid the groundwork for what subsequently evolved into the weekly market and Solly’s enthusiasm for it proved infectious as he set about drumming up interest for local traders to set up stalls.

The weekly market had been a long-term aspiration of Solly’s and those that knew him have spoken of how he was heartened by the new generation of organisers who shared his dedication, and delighted by the attention that was being paid to the area that he cherished.

Solly spent his final ten months in Homerton Hospital, but on one occasion his condition improved enough for him to leave for the day. He chose to spend it at the market with his wife to greet and speak to his neighbouring businesses.

His wife Shameem said: “Hackney is where his heart is.”

Solly is survived by his wife, two daughters and one son.

Note: This article has been amended. A new version was published at 4.24pm on Thursday 16 May 2013.