ROWLANDS, William, Rev, M.A., Prof (1879-1952)
Assembly memorial minute, 1952
William Rowlands was born at Anglesey, North Wales, on 2nd October, 1879. He graduated in Master of Arts at the University at Bangor, North Wales, and followed the profession of a Pharmaceutical Chemist, Responding to a call to the Holy Ministry, he entered the Theological Hall of Bala, in North Wales. A serious illness intervened. Acting upon medical advice, that he should seek a wanner climate, he came to Australia in 1907.
He was received by the G.A.A. from the Calvinistic Methodist Church of North Wales. Ordained at Ballarat in 1908, he was called to be Minister of the Welsh Church at Blackstone, Ipswich, Queensland.
After three years he went to the South Island of New Zealand, and ministered at Cromwell, in the Province of Otago. During this pastorate he married Miss Annie Morton of the Melbourne Welsh Church. Soon after returning to Victoria, on the 28th of December, 1915, he was inducted into the pastoral charge of St. John’s, Ballarat. He resigned this charge on 30th May, 1918 and was inducted into the charge of Euroa on the 2nd October, 1918. After 6 years’ ministry there he resigned and for three years gave himself to supply work, until on the 27th of May, 1927, he became minister of Garden Vale East.
On the 31st of January, 1930, he resigned from parish work, and for 21 years gave himself to extensive pulpit supply.
Mr. Rowlands, during his long retirement made many friends throughout the length and breadth of Victoria. He held zealously the honour and tradition of a highly cultured Welsh family. His brother is a member of the Welsh Episcopal Church of North Wales, Canon T.J. Rowlands; while his sister, Dr. Helen Rowlands, is a missionary of the Welsh Presbyterian Mission in Assam, India.
In the funeral address delivered by the Rev. Caradoc Hughes, partly in English and partly in Welsh, in the Welsh Presbyterian Church, Melbourne, it was stated that Mr. Rowlands was a typical Welshman, having cane from that part of Wales that had produced many outstanding men, the island of Anglesey. Mr. Rowlands was steeped in the island’s tradition and outlook. During his boyhood, the minister of his Church was one of the greatest of Welsh preachers, the late Rev. T.C. Williams.
Mr. Rowlands possessed rare journalistic abilities. Upon the death of his beloved minister, Mr. Williams, he wrote an article that was acclaimed in the Welsh papers, as a classic. Just prior to his death he was engaged in writing his Memoirs, that have recently been published in Wales and widely acclaimed for literary merit.
After an illness of six weeks, Mr. Rowlands passed away on Tuesday, 15th May, 1951, after more than 40 years of ordained ministry.
To Mrs. Rowlands and her two sons, the Assembly tenders sincere sympathy.
Gender
- Male