<PAGE> PAGE 1
000 B000000 09/30/96
000 C000000 868549
000 D000000 N
000 E000000 NF
000 F000000 Y
000 G000000 N
000 H000000 N
000 I000000 3.0
000 J000000 U
001 A000000 JOHN HANCOCK PATRIOT PREMIUM DIVIDEND FUND I
001 B000000 811-5615
001 C000000 6173751702
002 A000000 101 HUNTINGTON AVENUE
002 B000000 BOSTON
002 C000000 MA
002 D010000 02199
003 000000 N
004 000000 N
005 000000 N
006 000000 N
007 A000000 N
007 B000000 0
007 C010100 1
007 C010200 2
007 C010300 3
007 C010400 4
007 C010500 5
007 C010600 6
007 C010700 7
007 C010800 8
007 C010900 9
007 C011000 10
008 A000001 JOHN HANCOCK ADVISERS, INC.
008 B000001 A
008 C000001 801-8124
008 D010001 BOSTON
008 D020001 MA
008 D030001 02199
010 A000001 JOHN HANCOCK ADVISERS, INC.
010 B000001 801-8124
010 C010001 BOSTON
010 C020001 MA
010 C030001 02199
011 A000001 SALOMON BROTHERS, INC.
011 B000001 8-26920
011 C010001 NEW YORK
011 C020001 NY
011 C030001 10004
011 A000002 FIRST BOSTON CORPORATION
011 B000002 8-422
011 C010002 NEW YORK
<PAGE> PAGE 2
011 C020002 NY
011 C030002 10055
011 A000003 PRINTON KANE & CO.
011 B000003 8-41773
011 C010003 SHORT HILLS
011 C020003 NJ
011 C030003 07078
011 A000004 ADVEST, INC.
011 B000004 8-21409
011 C010004 HARTFORD
011 C020004 CT
011 C030004 06103
012 A000001 STATE STREET BANK & TRUST COMPANY
012 B000001 84-1867445
012 C010001 BOSTON
012 C020001 MA
012 C030001 02110
012 A000002 CHEMICAL BANK
012 B000002 85-5005
012 C010002 NEW YORK
012 C020002 NY
012 C030002 10041
013 A000001 ARTHUR ANDERSEN & COMPANY
013 B010001 BOSTON
013 B020001 MA
013 B030001 02110
014 A000001 JOHN HANCOCK FUNDS, INC.
014 B000001 8-43582
014 A000002 JOHN HANCOCK DISTRIBUTORS, INC.
014 B000002 8-13995
014 A000003 TUCKER ANTHONY AND R.L. DAY, INC.
014 B000003 8-24297
014 A000004 SUTRO & CO., INC.
014 B000004 8-7981
014 A000005 FREEDOM DISTRIBUTORS CORPORATION
014 B000005 8-37458
015 A000001 STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST CO.
015 B000001 C
015 C010001 BOSTON
015 C020001 MA
015 C030001 02110
015 E010001 X
018 000000 Y
019 A000000 N
019 B000000 0
020 A000001 JEFFRIES & CO
020 B000001 95-2622900
020 C000001 88
020 A000002 NATWEST SECURITIES CORP
020 B000002 13-3312778
020 C000002 63
<PAGE> PAGE 3
020 A000003 SALOMON BROS INC
020 B000003 13-3082694
020 C000003 26
020 A000004 FURMAN SELZ MANGER DIETZ & MAGER
020 C000004 11
020 A000005 DONALDSON LUFKIN & JENNETTE
020 B000005 13-2741729
020 C000005 7
020 A000006 FIRST BOSTON CORP
020 B000006 13-5659485
020 C000006 5
020 A000007 CROWELL, WEEDEN & CO
020 B000007 95-0660510
020 C000007 5
020 A000008 PAINE WEBBER
020 B000008 13-2638166
020 C000008 5
020 A000009 BEAR STERNS & CO
020 B000009 13-2975144
020 C000009 3
020 A000010 LIPPER ANALYTICAL SECURITIES
020 B000010 13-2792478
020 C000010 3
021 000000 218
022 A000001 LEHMAN BROTHERS INC
022 B000001 13-2726611
022 C000001 18987
022 D000001 2796
022 A000002 SALAMON BROTHERS
022 B000002 13-3082694
022 C000002 4478
022 D000002 7049
022 A000003 SMITH BARNEY
022 B000003 13-1912900
022 C000003 9996
022 D000003 1016
022 A000004 MERRILL LYNCH
022 B000004 13-5674085
022 C000004 6354
022 D000004 3802
022 A000005 MORGAN STANLEY
022 B000005 13-2655998
022 C000005 6844
022 D000005 2311
022 A000006 OPPENHEIMER & CO
022 B000006 13-5674085
022 C000006 8450
022 D000006 0
022 A000007 PRUDENTIAL SECURITIES
022 B000007 22-2347336
022 C000007 4198
<PAGE> PAGE 4
022 D000007 1207
022 A000008 PAINE WEBBER
022 B000008 13-2638166
022 C000008 4646
022 D000008 0
022 A000009 BAIRD, ROBERT W & CO
022 B000009 39-6037917
022 C000009 3422
022 D000009 741
022 A000010 LEGG, MASON WOOD WALKER
022 C000010 3112
022 D000010 635
023 C000000 723213
023 D000000 118422
024 000000 N
025 D000001 0
025 D000002 0
025 D000003 0
025 D000004 0
025 D000005 0
025 D000006 0
025 D000007 0
025 D000008 0
026 A000000 N
026 B000000 Y
026 C000000 Y
026 D000000 Y
026 E000000 N
026 F000000 N
026 G010000 N
026 G020000 N
026 H000000 N
027 000000 N
028 A010000 0
028 A020000 0
028 A030000 0
028 A040000 0
028 B010000 0
028 B020000 0
028 B030000 0
028 B040000 0
028 C010000 0
028 C020000 0
028 C030000 0
028 C040000 0
028 D010000 0
028 D020000 0
028 D030000 0
028 D040000 0
028 E010000 0
028 E020000 0
<PAGE> PAGE 5
028 E030000 0
028 E040000 0
028 F010000 0
028 F020000 0
028 F030000 0
028 F040000 0
028 G010000 0
028 G020000 0
028 G030000 0
028 G040000 0
028 H000000 0
030 A000000 0
030 B000000 0.00
030 C000000 0.00
031 A000000 0
031 B000000 0
032 000000 0
033 000000 0
035 000000 0
036 B000000 0
038 000000 0
042 A000000 0
042 B000000 0
042 C000000 0
042 D000000 0
042 E000000 0
042 F000000 0
042 G000000 0
042 H000000 0
043 000000 0
044 000000 0
045 000000 Y
046 000000 N
047 000000 N
048 000000 0.000
048 A010000 0
048 A020000 0.000
048 B010000 0
048 B020000 0.000
048 C010000 0
048 C020000 0.000
048 D010000 0
048 D020000 0.000
048 E010000 0
048 E020000 0.000
048 F010000 0
048 F020000 0.000
048 G010000 0
048 G020000 0.000
048 H010000 0
048 H020000 0.000
<PAGE> PAGE 6
048 I010000 0
048 I020000 0.000
048 J010000 0
048 J020000 0.000
048 K010000 0
048 K020000 0.000
049 000000 N
050 000000 Y
051 000000 N
052 000000 N
053 A000000 N
054 A000000 Y
054 B000000 N
054 C000000 N
054 D000000 N
054 E000000 N
054 F000000 N
054 G000000 Y
054 H000000 Y
054 I000000 N
054 J000000 Y
054 K000000 N
054 L000000 N
054 M000000 Y
054 N000000 N
054 O000000 N
055 A000000 N
055 B000000 N
056 000000 Y
057 000000 N
058 A000000 N
059 000000 Y
060 A000000 Y
060 B000000 Y
061 000000 0
062 A000000 N
062 B000000 0.0
062 C000000 0.0
062 D000000 0.0
062 E000000 0.0
062 F000000 0.0
062 G000000 0.0
062 H000000 0.0
062 I000000 0.0
062 J000000 0.0
062 K000000 0.0
062 L000000 0.0
062 M000000 0.0
062 N000000 0.0
062 O000000 0.0
062 P000000 0.0
<PAGE> PAGE 7
062 Q000000 0.0
062 R000000 0.0
063 A000000 0
063 B000000 0.0
066 A000000 Y
066 B000000 N
066 C000000 N
066 D000000 N
066 E000000 Y
066 F000000 N
066 G000000 N
067 000000 N
068 A000000 N
068 B000000 N
069 000000 N
070 A010000 Y
070 A020000 N
070 B010000 N
070 B020000 N
070 C010000 N
070 C020000 N
070 D010000 N
070 D020000 N
070 E010000 N
070 E020000 N
070 F010000 N
070 F020000 N
070 G010000 N
070 G020000 N
070 H010000 N
070 H020000 N
070 I010000 N
070 I020000 N
070 J010000 Y
070 J020000 Y
070 K010000 Y
070 K020000 N
070 L010000 Y
070 L020000 Y
070 M010000 N
070 M020000 N
070 N010000 N
070 N020000 N
070 O010000 N
070 O020000 N
070 P010000 Y
070 P020000 Y
070 Q010000 N
070 Q020000 N
070 R010000 N
070 R020000 N
<PAGE> PAGE 8
071 A000000 115029
071 B000000 114231
071 C000000 202056
071 D000000 57
072 A000000 12
072 B000000 131
072 C000000 16314
072 D000000 0
072 E000000 0
072 F000000 1853
072 G000000 206
072 H000000 0
072 I000000 59
072 J000000 59
072 K000000 0
072 L000000 60
072 M000000 27
072 N000000 0
072 O000000 0
072 P000000 0
072 Q000000 0
072 R000000 53
072 S000000 6
072 T000000 0
072 U000000 0
072 V000000 0
072 W000000 236
072 X000000 2559
072 Y000000 0
072 Z000000 13886
072AA000000 1609
072BB000000 0
072CC010000 0
072CC020000 2987
072DD010000 14719
072DD020000 0
072EE000000 0
073 A010000 0.7442
073 A020000 0.0000
073 B000000 0.0000
073 C000000 0.0000
074 A000000 0
074 B000000 0
074 C000000 7485
074 D000000 0
074 E000000 161399
074 F000000 32919
074 G000000 0
074 H000000 0
074 I000000 5409
074 J000000 0
<PAGE> PAGE 9
074 K000000 0
074 L000000 1025
074 M000000 14
074 N000000 208251
074 O000000 4569
074 P000000 15
074 Q000000 0
074 R010000 0
074 R020000 0
074 R030000 0
074 R040000 1242
074 S000000 68500
074 T000000 133925
074 U010000 14843
074 U020000 0
074 V010000 9.02
074 V020000 0.00
074 W000000 0.0000
074 X000000 2484
074 Y000000 0
075 A000000 0
075 B000000 205680
076 000000 9.13
077 A000000 Y
077 B000000 Y
077 C000000 N
077 D000000 N
077 E000000 N
077 F000000 N
077 G000000 N
077 H000000 N
077 I000000 N
077 J000000 N
077 K000000 N
077 L000000 N
077 M000000 N
077 N000000 N
077 O000000 Y
077 P000000 N
077 Q010000 Y
077 Q020000 N
077 Q030000 N
078 000000 N
080 A000000 GULF INSURANCE COMPANY
080 B000000 ICI MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY
080 C000000 35000
081 A000000 Y
081 B000000 79
082 A000000 N
082 B000000 0
083 A000000 N
<PAGE> PAGE 10
083 B000000 0
084 A000000 N
084 B000000 0
085 A000000 Y
085 B000000 N
086 A010000 0
086 A020000 0
086 B010000 0
086 B020000 0
086 C010000 0
086 C020000 0
086 D010000 0
086 D020000 0
086 E010000 0
086 E020000 0
086 F010000 0
086 F020000 0
087 A010000 PATRIOT PREMIUM DIVIDEND FUND I
087 A020000 41013Q101
087 A030000 PDF
088 A000000 N
088 B000000 N
088 C000000 N
088 D000000 Y
SIGNATURE SUSAN S. NEWTON
TITLE VICE PRESIDENT
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> 12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> SEP-30-1996
<PERIOD-START> OCT-01-1995
<PERIOD-END> SEP-30-1996
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 209,107,026
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 207,211,579
<RECEIVABLES> 1,024,585
<ASSETS-OTHER> 14,529
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 208,250,693
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 4,568,500
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 1,257,604
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 5,826,104
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 68,500,000
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 137,976,469
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 14,843,056
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 14,821,141
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 467,761
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> (1,689,748)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> (1,894,371)
<NET-ASSETS> 202,424,589
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 16,314,155
<INTEREST-INCOME> 130,900
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 2,559,071
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 13,885,984
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 1,608,570
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> (2,986,883)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 12,507,671
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> 13,885,984
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 832,797
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> 0
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 21,195
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> (2,014,751)
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> (1,482,849)
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 26,964
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 1,853,327
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 13,885,984
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 205,679,754
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 9.17
<PER-SHARE-NII> 0.94
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> (0.10)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> (0.99)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 9.02
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 1.24
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
</TABLE>