Celestine Tavernier

Name: Celestine Tavernier
First Appeared: 28th July 1990
Last Appeared: 22nd July 1993
Played by: Leroy Golding

Celestine Tavernier brought a rich backstory when he arrived in Walford. Born in Trinidad and raised by his grandmother after his mother’s death, Celestine followed his father Jules’ footsteps by moving to Britain in 1966, where he was recruited by London Transport. Despite the societal expectations that most West Indians should work on buses or in hospitals, Celestine aimed high, studying in the evenings and working hard to rise to the position of manager at the Walford Department of Social Security (DSS).

Celestine married Etta in Jamaica, and after the birth of their first son, Clyde, in 1968, she joined him in England. The couple went on to have twins, Lloyd and Hattie, completing their family. The Taverniers moved to Albert Square in 1990 after Etta landed a new job teaching at Walford Primary School. Celestine’s unwavering expectations and demands for respect created tension within the family, especially with his son Clyde, who felt his father had ‘sold out’ by conforming to societal norms.

Celestine was a dedicated church-goer and spent much of his time on religious readings and educating young disciples. However, his personal life was far from tranquil. Etta’s promotion to acting head at Walford Primary in 1991 caused friction, with Celestine feeling undermined by her success. The strain nearly drove him into the arms of Yvonne, a woman he was mentoring in Bible studies. Fortunately, his commitment to the sanctity of marriage kept him from straying.

The Taverniers faced another challenge when Etta decided to undergo sterilization to prevent passing the Sickle-cell gene to future children. Initially opposed, Celestine had to re-evaluate his stance when Etta discovered she was already pregnant with a child carrying a double dose of the gene. This traumatic period ultimately brought the couple closer together. In 1992, Etta’s permanent role as head teacher was a happy milestone, but Celestine’s job promotion to Norwich led the family to leave Walford for a fresh start after Lloyd got into trouble with the police. Celestine’s brief return in 1993 brought more family drama, but he eventually left for good.