Celestine and Etta Tavernier | |||||||||||
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Leroy Golding as Celestine Tavernier
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EastEnders character | |||||||||||
Portrayed by |
Leroy Golding (Celestine) Jacqui Gordon-Lawrence (Etta) |
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First appearance | Episode 563 28 June 1990 (Celestine) Episode 565 5 July 1990 (Etta) |
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Last appearance | Episode 884 22 July 1993 (Celestine) Episode 949 3 March 1994 (Etta) |
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Introduced by | Michael Ferguson | ||||||||||
Classification | Former; regular | ||||||||||
Profile | |||||||||||
Jacqui Gordon-Lawrence as Etta Tavernier
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Father | Jules Tavernier (Celestine's) |
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Sons |
Clyde Tavernier Lloyd Tavernier |
Daughters | Hattie Tavernier |
Grandsons | Kofi Tavernier |
Other relatives |
Gidea Thompson (Celestine's niece) |
Celestine and Etta Tavernier are fictional characters from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Leroy Golding and Jacqui Gordon-Lawrence respectively. Both appear primarily in the serial as a married couple between 1990 and 1992. Celestine makes a further guest appearance in 1993, while Etta makes a guest appearance in 1994, both visiting remaining members of the Tavernier family. Celestine is portrayed as a strict disciplinarian and a devout Christian who expects everyone in his family to show similar dedication to the church and abide by his rules. His unwavering demand for respect often alienates his children and almost causes the breakdown of his marriage. Also religious, Etta is portrayed as a career woman; her most prominent storylines concern marital problems and crises of faith.
Celestine and Etta were born in Trinidad. Celestine was raised by his grandmother after his mother died and his father left to find work in Jamaica. He came to Britain in 1966, recruited by London Transport, with the intention of studying at evening classes for a white-collar job. It was a time when most West-Indians were expected to work on the buses or in hospitals and not to be too ambitious. However, he achieved his ambition, conformed and worked hard and eventually got promoted to manager at Walford Department of Social Security (DSS).
Celestine married Etta Tavernier in Jamaica and after the birth of their first son in 1968 she joined Celestine in England, later having two more children. Etta decided to train for a job that she knew she could do well - teaching.
Celestine and Etta and their three children, Clyde (Steven Woodcock), the oldest, and twins Hattie (Michelle Gayle) and Lloyd (Garey Bridges), move to Albert Square along with Celestine's father Jules (Tommy Eytle), when they are rehoused by the council in 1990 after Etta acquires a new job teaching at Walford Primary School.