Like our previous entrant, Vladas Navickas, Česlovas Sviderskas was one of the first group of 6 Lithuanians and Latvians sent to work at the Repatriation General Hospital, Concord, New South Wales, in April 1948. Unlike Vladas, Česlovas stayed, started a family and became part of Sydney’s Lithuanian community.
Česlovas was another of the 187, at least, First Transport men sent to pick fruit in Victoria’s Goulburn Valley from late January 1948. His employers were Messrs Dundas Simson of Ardmona. He had worked for them until returning to the Bonegilla camp on 1 April, so for a solid 2 months.
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| Česlovas Sviderskas in 1947 Source: National Archives of Australia |
Česlovas (or Charles) in Sydney
An obituary by Anskis Reisgys, published in the Mūsų Pastogė newspaper in November 1997, summarises his life in Australia. He stayed at the Concord Repatriation Hospital for the contract period required by the Australian Government, so probably until 30 September 1949. While there, he met a later arrival, Janina Jablonskytė, who became his wife in late 1949. They had 2 sons, Robert and Raimondas.
Anskis wrote (in Lithuanian, translated by Rasa) that “Česlovas took great care of the well-being of his young family. He acquired a house for them in the Sydney suburb of Wentworthville early. He constantly improved the well-being of his family by acquiring better and better housing”.
Wentworthville was further away from Sydney’s centre than Parramatta. By the time Česlovas (than known as Charles Stevens) and Janina were granted Australian citizenship on 6 October 1961, the family had moved to Sydney’s south, to Revesby. This suburb was close to the Sydney’s Lithuanian Club in Bankstown, a suburb known by some as “Balt Town”.
Česlovas at Work and Play
Anskis added that Česlovas had “successfully immersed himself in the new air-conditioning industry, which was then expanding rapidly.”
“Česius had a soft heart for those who got into trouble”, Anskis wrote. “He supported not only his relatives, but also everyone who needed help. However, perhaps he devoted most of his heart to Lithuanian song. At gatherings he quickly became the centre of attention with his songs. Perhaps while singing, he poured out his heartache and gathered so much new strength that there was no room for complaints.
Česlovas' Retirement and Death
“Retirement was not a good time for Česlovas: his health deteriorated, he underwent a serious operation, after which he never recovered his health. He rejoiced in his grandchildren and the achievements of his sons. At the beginning of (1997), he suffered a major haemorrhage in the brain. Without regaining consciousness, he died on 6 November”, Anskis reported.
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| Česlovas or Charles in later life Source: Mūsų Pastogė |
A large gathering of the Sviderskas and Jablonskis families farewelled Česlovas 4 days later at Sydney’s Rookwood Crematorium. Undoubtedly, many friends attended also, since there are 4 condolence advertisements immediately under the Mūsų Pastogė obituary.
One of those advertisements was from Sophia and Carmen Saparas, the widow and daughter of another First Transport arrival in Australia, Bronius Šaparas, who had been a pioneer aviator in Lithuania.
The resting place of Charles (Česlovas) Stevens (Sviderskas)
in the Rookwood Cemetery
Janina dies
Česlovas’ widow, Janina, by then also known as Jenny, lived on for another 17 years after her husband died. She was farewelled by 4 grandchildren in addition to the 2 sons in December 2014.
Česlovas' Youth
Česlovas had been born in the town of Simnas, in Lithuania’s south, as the youngest of 11 children. He spent a happy childhood on his parents' large farm while attending the local primary school, then studied at Marijampolė secondary school. He also studied at the Kaunas Theological Seminary, and later attended lectures at the Faculty of Medicine of Vilnius University.
The report of the interview he attended with the selection team for migration from Germany to Australia summarises this as 3 years of primary school and 8 years of secondary.
Česlovas in Germany
At the time his presence in Germany as a refugee was recorded on an American form in August 1945, he had reached the city of Paderborn towards the north of the country. The Americans recorded him as a medical student, something that Australian records ignored but, possibly, this was taken into account in sending him to the Concord Hospital.
The only language in which he was fluent recorded by the Australians was Lithuanian, but the Americans noted that he spoke German, Polish and Russian without mentioning the Lithuanian.
He is likely to have known English too by October 1947, when applying for Australia, since his address then is given as 8184 Lab Serv Co, probably working for the Americans but the place was not listed. His occupation by then had become “automechanic”.
Versatility
Growing up on a farm seems to have taught Česlovas, the former medical student, to be versatile.
SOURCES
Bonegilla Identity Card Lookup ‘Ceslovas Sviderskas’ Bonegilla Migrant Experience https://idcards.bonegilla.org.au/record/203693538, accessed 15 January 2026.
Find a Grave ‘Charles Stevens’ https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/150632914/charles-stevens, accessed 15 January 2026.
‘Folder DP4123, names from SWIATLA, Albina to SWIDERSKA, Bronislawa (2)’ 3.1.1 Registration and Care of DPs inside and outside of Camps, ITS/Arolsen Archives https://collections.arolsen-archives.org/en/document/69405226, accessed 15 January 2026.
Migrant Selection Documents for Displaced Persons who travelled to Australia per General Stuart Heintzelman departing Bremerhaven 30 October 1947, 1947-1947; 677, SVIDERSKAS Ceslowas DOB 12 February 1920 recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=5118097, accessed 15 January 2026.
National Archives of Australia: Migrant Reception and Training Centre, Bonegilla [Victoria]; A2571, Name Index Cards, Migrants Registration [Bonegilla], 1947-1956; SVIDERSKAS CESLOVAS, SVIDERSKAS, Ceslovas : Year of Birth - 1920 : Nationality - LITHUANIAN : Travelled per - GEN. HEINTZELMAN : Number – 1051, 1947-1948; recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=203693538, accessed 15 January 2026.
Reisgys, Anskis (1997) ‘A † A Česlovas Sviderskas — Charles Stevens’ (‘In Memoriam, Česlovas Sviderskas — Charles Stevens’, in Lithuanian) Mūsų Pastogė, Sydney, 1 December, p 7 https://www.spauda2.org/musu_pastoge/archive/1997/1997-11-24-MUSU-PASTOGE.pdf, accessed 15 January 2026.
Sydney Morning Herald (2014) ‘Janina Stevens Obituary’ https://tributes.smh.com.au/au/obituaries/smh-au/name/janina-stevens-obituary?id=44207354, accessed 15 January 2026.
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