"This window is the work of Mr Christopher Webb, a London artist, and was unveiled at the morning service on the 2nd of August1942 by Mr Leslie Wilson, Mrs Wilson's only surviving son.
The window is one of three windows in the Church remembering members of the Wilsons of Castlehill. The inscription from the graveyard is shown below.
In memoriam.
William Wilson of Castlehill
1851 – 1933.
Helen Jessie MacKean his
wife 1851 – 1936.
William MacKean Wilson 2nd son 1881 – 1914.
Leslie Hamilton Wilson 3rd son 1884 - 1968.
Margaret T. May Herivel
1891 – 1978.
Leslie Cowans Wilson. son of Leslie and May Wilson
1920 – 1954
killed in an aeroplane crash on Christmas day
"William (1851-1933) purchased Castlehill house in 1909, and his window features King David and sits in the North wall of the nave. This window, to Helen, William's wife also sits in the North wall and faces the window of their grandson Leslie Cowans Wilson in the South wall.
In both Helen's window and Leslie's window Jesus is seen dressed in white - here representing His love of children and in Leslie's window showing Him risen from the grave.
Please feel free to use photographs for non-commercial use but credit Alloway Parish Church as the source.
For commercial use please contact the webmaster.
In its design this is the simplest of the windows in Alloway Church with much clear glass (through which the trees can be seen) and with a straightforward message.
This window was installed in wartime and with its pale colours the window reflects the quiet meditative words of Jesus as he looked at the simplicity of a child.
"For such is the Kingdom of Heaven"
Though plain the artwork is exquisite particularly in its representation of the expressions on the faces of the children
Note the daisies in the hand of the little girl.
Of this window, in his book, "Through a Glass Brightly", Dr McGinty comments on the context of the time that this window was installed.
The tranquility of the scene, so reminiscent of the Sunday School Picture or the School Bible illustration, must have been in sharp contrast to the events of the year in which this window was installed. 1943 was a pivotal year in the 2nd World War.
Rommel's advance was halted at El Alamain
Japanese troops captured Singapore
Stalingrad was under siege
Commando raids on St Nazaire and Dieppe resulted in heavy casualties
The SS slaughtered the Jews of the Warsaw Ghetto
The U.S fleet won the battle of Medway
The RAF began the mass bombing raids on Germany
Winston Churchill said in the House of Commons in his speech on the El Alamain victory:
"It is not the the end. It is not even the beginning of the end.
But it is perhaps the end of the beginning".
In the midst of this turmoil one family remembered one loved one.