Celina went to school in Falenica (which now doesn’t exist as it is now a part of Warsaw now in Poland)
Celina was married as a 16 year old. it was an arranged marriage. Her husband was aged 26, he was destined to marry Celina's older sister, but she ran off with another man, so Celina’s hand was offered instead. Stan (Celina's Husband) was in the jewellery business, he had survived wwii in 1939 with his mother in Auschwitz as he was a younger boy. He was later inducted into the NAVY and trained as a professional boxer.
Despite her young age. she did her best to become accustomed to him in the following months.
Their first child, Irene was born in Otwosck in 1953, their next child, a son was born 10 years later.
3 years after that they all migrated to Australia in Chippindale, where they squatted in an empty farmhouse. Celina’s mother in-law had a friend in Adelaide who found her a partner to marry, a Polish Jew. After two years she reimbursed him the money he out laid to help her come to the country, and the marriage was annulled. She then helped migrate her son and daughter in law, Celina to Australia and all of them including the children were squatting. They were ratted out as squatters two years later., where they then moved into a semi detached home in Earskinville and then third child Anna was born.
Their children were later enrolled into Earskinville public school their eldest Irene, struggled as she was fluent Polish only. They moved to Petersham 3 years later to the final marital home which was a grand 2 story twin duplex.
Celina started working when her youngest child Anna, was in school, and her first job was in the biscuit factory in Campbeltown where she packaged the biscuits.
Celina’s best friend’s mother worked in Menzies club and got Celina job where she worked around age 35, at Menzies club, George street, which was a third class restaurant, with a bar at Vinyard station near German Keller bar.
She said she made a second wage on tips (10 tables) and she said that when the U.S ships came in, she doubled her tips
Later she worked as a bar maid in Ashfield Polish club and her husband was a goldsmith making his own Jewellery in their back yard shed.
After a 29 year marriage, she divorced Stan, sold her half of the duplex in Petersham and moved to Yagoona. From there she started working at the Bankstown Polish Club (to which she will still tell you she has industrial deafness from, as it was always so loud in there. Post selling her home in Petersham she joined the seniors club and started travelling around Australia with the granny busses
Celina has lived in her Yagoona 4 bedroom home for the last 35 years, to which she manages still on her own and if she ever knows you are coming, will have a hot meal waiting for you with something to drink, and no it’s never water
Celina is the mother of three children, 7 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren.
She enjoys a scotch or a red wine yet will still enjoy Vodka or a beer on a cold day
Celina enjoys going to Cabramatta RSL club for bingo and raffles to the point she got the Nic-name Bingo Betty
She loves dancing and dressing up for club life. This has slowed down a lot but she is a cheeky socialite with her own licence where to travels too and from home enough to keep herself out of trouble.
