Born in 1934, Rowlands was a relative latecomer to the acting profession. She attended a succession of convent schools throughout childhood and it wasn't until a new elocution teacher spotted her potential and encouraged her to pursue a career in drama that she even considered showbusiness. She applied for the Guildhall School of Speech & Drama, and won a scholarship aged fifteen, gaining the highest marks in England.
Rowlands spent several years working in London, as a regular member of the Players' Theatre and was popular in a range of stage and screen roles throughout the 1950s and 60s. She made a name for herself as a character actress, and is probably best remembered for her role in the long running sit-com, Bless this House, in which she appeared alongside Sid James. In recent years, Patsy starred in the London stage versions of Oliver! and Beauty and the Beast as well as BBC Television's The Cazalets.
Patsy passed away on Saturday 22nd January 2005.