Series 57: Letters and plant lists received by Banks from Thomas Dancer, concerning the breadfruit voyage of HM Ships Providence and Assistant, William Bligh, 1793
Provenance note
Most of the documents in this series were previously located at ML A79-3. Document 5 was previously located at ML A78-4. They were purchased in 1884 from Lord Brabourne by Sir Saul Samuel, the Agent-General for New South Wales and transferred to the Mitchell Library in 1910 and were part of the accession which became known as the Brabourne collection.
Background note
HM Ships Providence and Assistant arrived at Port Royal Harbour, Jamaica on 5 February 1793, the main destination for the breadfruit plants transported from Tahiti. The House of Assembly in Jamaica had requested Dr Thomas Dancer, physician and botanist, and Dr Arthur Broughton, physician, to make a collection of plants to be added to those being transported back to England with Bligh.