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Life-size cartoon for Greenock, ][Finnart St Paul Church] "I have fought the good fight," Soldiers and Figures in Chains

Designer: Wilson, William, OBE RSA RSW · 1905-1972

Life-size cartoon for Greenock, ][Finnart St Paul Church] "I have fought the good fight," Soldiers and Figures in Chains

The present cartoon is for the right hand light of a 4-light window in the North Transept of the former Finnart St Paul's Church at 60 Newark Street…

The present cartoon is for the right hand light of a 4-light window in the North Transept of the former Finnart St Paul's Church at 60 Newark Street in Greenock.

Wilson was responsible for two 4-light windows in the church, both in the North Transept and flanking each other.

This cartoon is for the earlier of the two. The finished window was donated by Mrs J B Allan in memory of her parents and family in 1955. The window illustrates the life and work of St Paul' after whom the church was named. The left light showed him as preacher and pastor, the two central lights his conversion, and the right hand light shows Paul as sufferer and martyr.

In this section of the right hand light, Paul and Silas are chained in prison in Philippi but undaunted continue to sing praises to God, whilst the other prisoners look on. Below this scene Paul is in Rome where he is being taken to his martyrdom by his guards. On the way he encounters Peter who will face this same end.

The tracery across the top of the window shows the whole armour of God as listed by St Paul who himself, thus bravely armoured, fought the good fight.

In 1964 Wilson was commissioned to design the flanking window to the left which features the life and work of St Luke.

The church is a former Church of Scotland property which became redundant following the merger of its congregation with those of Old West Kirk and Ardgowan Church to form Lyle Community Kirk in 2011. The building was under offer in 2023 and has been converted to provide office and meeting spaces for let.

© The Artist's Estate