One of the illustrations we have by Thomas Hiller is a bit of a mystery. My dad attributed it to Stone Farm in Broadstairs though I have not found any reference that supports this idea and lots of evidence in the picture itself that suggests this is not!
The subject is slearly a coastal scene, a harbour of some sort with associated buildings. The most likely location would be Broadstairs harbour itself but I have so far failed to find any corroborating evidence for this in other pictures or references. The sketch is unsigned and undated so we are left with few clues. A man in a top hat – what period were these in common fashion?
I have shared on Broadstairs facebook groups but had a mixed response with no conclusive information. If it is Broadstairs harbour it may be from a time before much of the more recent alterations and therefore unrecognisable to local people now. The roof line of the nearest building is typical of the Dutch style common in the area. The balcony suggests this might be a look out – the harbour masters house?
Can anyone help to confirm where this might be?
This old sketch of the Old Lookout House in Broadstairs shares some similarities so could Hiller’s sketch be an earlier version of this building perhaps before the harbour was rebuilt?
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