1768 - 1849
Captain Thomas hiller
Picture and Life History
Thomas Hiller created a wonderful record of his life in the form of a picture which he began at school and finished in his retirement.
In the back of the picture frame is hidden a detailed description of the painting and a double sided panel in which he writes his life story. In his own words on the back label he explains :
Do unto all as you would all should do unto you
This picture has a Double back between which is an Explanation of the whole as numbered from …[]...and of that part of the Isle of Thanet including BROADSTAIRS and MARGATE being, a distance of about 5 miles the prominent part of which exhibits the building in which I was born on the 6th of April in the year 1768=12. Observe Reader! 1768=12. The first being the era of His Lord’s! First advent as manifesting HIMSELF! as the SON of GOD! and 12 being the era of HIS! manifesting HIMSELF! As He! was, is and ever will BE!!! our FATHER! The LORD! The GOD! Of Heaven and Earth, and now 1843=87 it is eighty seven years since the commencement of the LORD’S! second manifestation to the Christian world*, of course there is …. in Christendom which were born before that commencement therefore to be the Heirs to the Kingdom of God! It is necessary that we receive, acknowledge, adore and love the King! (……! The Lord Jesus Christ), but I return to the explanation of the picture which I done part of in 1781=25. at school, and finished in 1841=85. a period of 60 years, which brought me to the seventy fourth year of my age. In the course of my pilgrimage I experienced many things the particular ones I purpose publishing in a Brief History of my life in which I shall have frequently to mention some one or other of the 26 vessels and ships which I sailed in from 1882 to 92 as an apprentice, Cook, steward, seaman, Boatswain, second mate and chief mate and those I commanded from 1792 to 1825 when I laid in my lead and Line. Thomas Hiller.
[*NB The year 1756 is the date of publication of Emanuel Swedenborg’s 8 volume work in latin Arcana Celestia or ‘Heavenly Secrets’ a verse-by-verse exposition of Genesis and Exodus, showing the correspondences (symbolic connections between the material and spiritual world) in which, according to Swedenborg’s analysis, the Bible is written. Thomas Hiller’s father was a reader and follower of Swedenborg and the early Swedenborgian church may have adopted their own dating system to recognise Swedenborg's revelations as the second manifestation of the Lord on earth.
Explanation of the annexed Picture
The centre piece, the question, case, the two problems and figures (four) in Navigation was my Christmas piece has [sic] done by me at school in 1781. In the fourteenth year of my age; and this year (1841) in the seventy fourth year of my age. I have drawn in the different blank places the ships and vessels I sailed in as an apprentice, seaman, cook steward, Boatswain, second mate, chief mate and commander from the year 1781 to 1831.
No. 1 The North Foreland light house where I was born’d on the sixth of April 1768=12.
2. Stone Farm where Sarah Huggett my beloved wife was born’d February 22nd 1770=14.
3. Broadstairs formerly known as Bradstow. 1 mile SSW of the NF lighthouse.
4. The Reigna des Angers (under Portuguese colours) the first ship I belonged to as an apprentice – 1782
5. The Frienship. Cap’t Isaac Blackburn. One voyage to Jamaica before the [month?] 1783.4.
6. The Townsend (formerly the Reigna des Anges). To Grenada, Cork, New Providence in the Bahama’s. Savanna S.A and Babadoes, and in a hurricane there shipwrecked 1785.6. Cap’t Fendale
7. The Three Brothers. Cap’t J.Brinan; Seaman by the run home after being shipwrecked 1786.
8. The Thomas and Mary. Cap’t. George Hurst[?]. between Broadstairs & Grassland with flints
9. The Bigantine Keeling George Blackburn a voyage to Granada, West Indies
10. The Alexandera Cap’t Boudinor a voyage to New York (U.S). 1787.
11. The Caroline Cap’t Cleavland[?]. a voyage to Jamaica. Second mate 1789=33.
12. The Snow Thomas. Cap’t George Blackburn. a voyage to Granada 1790 = 34. (see my History)
13. The Glamorgan Cap’n Ford a voyage to Salarno, Naples & Smyrna. Chief Mate. 1791 = 35.
14. The Catherine (formerly the Liberty) a Pleasure yatch [sic]. Capt. Thomas Hiller 1792.3.4.5
15. The Hobby Horse. Margate & London Packet. Capt. John Hiller. Thomas Hiller owner (see my History)
16. This is the same vessel as No. 14 but strengthened and name altered. From Liberty to Catherine
17. The Prince of Wales. Margate & London Packet. Cap’t. John Hiller. Thos Hiller part owner
18. The Farrier. 16 Gun Brig in H.M.H.A. Service Cap’t Thomas Hiller, a [cruiser?] in the Channel
19. The Sandwich. Brig. Cap’t Thomas Hiller. – a Trader
20. The Queen a Cutter of 16 Guns. Thomas Hiller Comm’dr. In His Majesty’s Hired [A]pointed Service
21. The Active a French Packet Thomas Hiller Comm.dr from Ramsgate to Calais.
22. The Lord Keith a Cutter of Ten Guns. In H.M.H A Service Thomas Hiller Comm.dr
23. The Admiral Nelson a 16 Gun Cutter. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do.
24. The Olive Branch Cap.t Thomas Hiller. A voyage to Jamaica 1804.5.6.
25. The Atlas No. 234 Transport Cap.t Thomas Hiller 1806.7.8.9.10.11.
26. The Phoenix No.677 Transport Cap.t Thomas Hiller 1813.14
27 The Sir William Curtis a Foreign Packet Cap.t Thomas Hiller 1815.
28. The Thames Steam Packet between London and Margate Capt. Thomas Hiller 1815.
29. The Majestic Steam Packet Do. – Do. Do. - Do. - 1816.
30. The Caledonian Steam Packet Do. --- Do. Do. Do. 1817.
31. The Rapid Steam Packet between London and Rotterdam Capt. Thomas Hiller 1823
At the bottom I have drawn the Sea coast from Broadstairs to Margate with the Sally lugsail boat, with a view of Broadstairs Pier. Mr. Alexander’s Summer House at Stone, the Prospect House, N.F. Light House, Joss, Reading Street, Kingsgate, George Hill and Margate. I have put those parts into the Picture for should I write a brief History of my life I shall have a great deal to relate of Stone, the North Foreland, and the parties which have been and those that now are connected with them / In this I shall only briefly state that I was placed in the Royal Hospital School Greenwich in April 1779. And as I done that part of the Picture as before stated in Decbr 1781. In the April following I was bound out to Cap.n Tyson of Faversham and in the following June I was bound to Captain Thomas Blackburn of St. Peters for six years. I served him the six years during the time he caused me to act in all capacities below a chief Mate, two year after I was out of my time he sent me out to the West Indies to take the Command of the Keeling Brig belonging to him. I went out acting as Boatswain and Second Mate with his Son (Geo. Blackburn) in the Thomas, and my not liking her I would not take the Command of her but returned in the Thomas which so offended him (my former Master) that he never would serve me any more! “Well” I was young, healthy, strong, willing, Industrious a Seaman a Navigator and a Married man with an unblemish’d character, the world before me. T. F. H.
The main inner panels
(click to enlarge).
As the transcript lower down this page reveals these give an account of the vessels he commanded, school life and anecdotes of his adventures as a mariner.
Panel One
Panel two
In the Explanation of the Picture I mentioned being at school at Greenwich therefor in this I shall state occurrances that occurred during the two years & ten months was there, out of which I had seven months holidays; I had a brother there two years before me & he behaved bad and was a deal of trouble to the school master (a scotchman) the ushers, Guardian & his assistants of course. I was judged by them to be of the same cast which I experienced first when I was second on the list of twelve Boys to go into Navigation as soon as the Master read my name, with a Scotch grin said “Hiller, keep that rascal your side for he likely will be as much trouble to me as his brother was.” That put me back six months; sometime after this my name among others was found on a list to play at smugglers, this list was taken to the schoolmaster and reported as so many intending to run away as were all arraigned. I was grined at by the scotch judge and selected for punishment (horsed & birched on the postiriors) and the Devil had a New Birch so as to lacerate my flesh. Well I thought it cruel and hard to be so treated on an account of my brother, Nevertheless I kept my object (to be the first boy in school as to learning) in view and persevered to obtain it and I was made a monitor about four months before I was sent home for the Christmas 1781.2 holidays. When at home I could not return my being sick at the expiration of them / and through a mistake of my father’s writing to the Governor instead of the schoolmaster, it was not known the cause of my stay of course it was supposed I had run away, when instead I was not believed but I was broke from being a monitor and beating which I could not brook and being about the fifth scholar in the school (1st class) I was determined to leave it, so wrote to my father to provide a Master for me or I would go with the first that applied for an apprentice. And in April apprenticed I was!
And as stated in the Explanation I went on board my Master’s chip the Harriot formerly but then called the Reigna des Anges (in English “Queen of Angels”) in Portuguese as she was going to Grenada under those colours so that I was the only English on board of her except Isaac Blackburn the supercargo and I only went as far as the Downs in her. and as I have stated all the Ships and vessels O sailed in during the period I went to SEA in the Explanation, I shall in this only state some anecdotes as relating to myself.
First as I was one day in the craft alongside of the Reigna des Anges the Goods, in doing so, I did not please one of the Portuguese, he took a handspike and aiming it at me it glanced past me and stove the craft I was in, had it struck me on the head or body it would have killed me on the spot.
One day in the Manginest[?] Harbour in Jamaica when I belonged to the Friendship going on shore in the long boat the Boatswain overboard threw me saying “Swim or Drown”.
I all but did the latter, when I was shipwrecked in the Townsend in the Island of Babadoss. I was below when her bottom parted from the upper works and she fill altogether and I was on the wreck for five hours in the fury of the hurrican after which I got safe on shore without a scratch naked except a pair of ragged trousers! On the passage to England in the Three Brothers the ship breached to, and it was a hair’s breadth escape from foundering.
In going out to New York in the Alexander we were going before the wind in a sudden squall taking in sail. I was outermost on the Foreyard resting the foresail when she rolled so as to dip my legs in the sea, when the boatswain on see-ing the hold nearly full of water calls out “come down you B_____rs we are all going to Hell”, the ship with an over pressure of sail had sprung a leak and on sounding the pumps we found ? ? of water in her the pumps set to work and they soon became choaked; but in 16 days we got safe into New York!
In the Glamorgan on our passage from Smyna [Smyrna] Cotton Loaded in a severe squall which gave no notice she was upset, but she Rightened again and we arrived safe!
In going from London in the Liberty to Rush (Island) I hove to in a Gale of wind and a thick fog in St. Georges Channel in the night I drove over the Wicklow banks and on the fog clearing a little I found her close to the shore under Mizen Head but got clear and arrived safe in Rush!
In going in the same vessel (Liberty) under another name (Catherine) from Rush to Douglas in the Isle
of Man in a gale of wind she [?] stays and went on the rocks. She was a total wreck but I got safe on shore!
In the Sandwich from Cardiff (Wales) to London very deeply laden with Iron we had a very narrow escape
from foundering near the Longship’s Lighthouse but we arrived safe in London!
In the Lucen[?] on the French coast I fired a gun at a French Privativo[?] the gun was again loaded and fired by another (the Gunner) the gun burst killed him & two more and wounded five others. I was not hurt!
One day in the Admiral Nelson when cruising in the North Sea I went into the stern boat to examine my fishing lines the boat canted[?] with one and I fell overboard and was supported until the boat came to me!
In the Olive Branch on my passage from Jamaica in a severe gale of wind a sea struck the ship, carried away the jib boom outhouse (cookhouse) took away the tiller blocks stove the stern boat and washed out one of the lead[?] lights and the ship leaky the whole of the crew knocked up and left the deck excepting one (the carpenter) the sails blew loose and to rags, nevertheless we arrived safe in London!
In the Atlas on our passage from Mountevideio, in South America, I was fishing on the spritsail yard I fell over-board no one saw me but I caught hold of a rope hanging over the side of the ship and with some assistance I got safe on board!
These are a few of the mercies of the LORD! vouchsafed to me.
Bethnal Green July 11th 1841 = 85. Thomas Hiller
