Dame Patricia Routledge: celebrating a life which touched so many...
Representatives of many organisations were in attendance at Dame Patricia Routledge’s funeral service in Chichester Cathedral.
She was deeply involved in the cultural life of the city across many decades – and was an active supporter of many causes in and around the city.
Dame Patricia served as patron of the Festival of Chichester and always gave a rousing speech at the Festival’s annual box office launch.
The Cathedral itself was also very dear to her heart. She was particularly touched when the Cathedral bells rang 96 times in February this year to mark her 96th birthday.
“I can’t quite take it in!” Dame Patricia laughed when she heard it was going to happen: “It is almost too much!”
Dame Patricia said she hoped to be able to hear the bells: “But I may be found wandering around outside the cathedral if the wind isn’t blowing in the right direction!”
A philanthropist and patron of the arts, she was deeply committed to Chichester Festival Theatre where her appearances included Beatrix and The Importance of Being Earnest. She also performed during Queen Elizabeth II’s visit to the theatre in 2017, offering an excerpt from Noël Coward.
However, it was the role of Hyacinth Bucket in the BBC sitcom Keeping Up Appearances (1990–1995) which cemented Dame Patricia’s status as a national treasure. The role is still fondly remembered by millions, Routledge perfectly delivering the social-climbing snob.
However Dame Patricia was fonder of her TV success in Hetty Wainthropp Investigates, a series she lamented was cut short by the BBC. It aired for four series between 3 January 1996 and 4 September 1998 on BBC One.
Dame Patricia was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1993 and elevated to Dame Commander (DBE) in 2017 for services to theatre and charity.