William Francis Rowlands graduated from the Hartford Theological Seminary, Connecticut, USA, on 25 May 1910. He was a missionary in North China. He married Margaret Amelia Cormack on 21 June 1916 at the London Mission Church in Peking. They had four children: Dorothy, Joan, Arnold and Rhonwen. Rev Rowlands retired to Launceston where he died on 26 December 1971 aged 85. Margaret died on 2 August 1976 aged 81.