She made two voyages, the first under charter to the British East India Company (EIC).

Captain Hugh Atkins Reid sailed from Calcutta for England on 21 December 1810 under charter to the EIC.

She reached Saint Helena on 20 July and arrived at the Downs on 24 September.

On 6 September John Palmer sailed from Madeira in a convoy under escort of HMS Minden.

[7] John Palmer was homeward bound from Bourbon with a cargo mostly of cotton and in company with other ships when she stopped at Saint Helena.