Providence (1807 ship)
649 ton merchant ship and convict ship

Providence was a merchant ship built at Calcutta, India, and launched in 1807. She made four voyages for the British East India Company (EIC), on one of which she delivered convicts to New South Wales. The ship was scuttled at St Martin's, Isles of Scilly in 1833 after grounding while on a voyage from London to Bombay, India.
EIC voyage #1 (1809-1810)
Captain Hugh Reid sailed Providence from Bengal to Britain, leaving Calcutta on 18 June 1809, resting at Diamond Harbour on 23 June, passing Saugor on 25 July, and reaching Madras on 24 September. Providence then reached the Cape on 25 December and St Helena on 27 January 1810, before arriving at the Downs on 16 April. Reid sold Providence in England. A supplement to Lloyd's Register for 1810 shows the master changing to Barclay, and the next Lloyd's Register shows her owner as Barclay. Providence was admitted to the Registry of Great Britain on 9 July 1810.
EIC voyage #2 (1810-12)
Captain Andrew Barclay left Portsmouth on 7 September 1810, bound for New South Wales and China. She sailed under a letter of marque issued to Barclay on 19 July 1810.
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