Exhibit 23.2 Consent of Independent Auditors ------------------------------- The Board of Directors Provident Bank: We consent to the inclusion in this Amendment No. 2 to Registration Statement No. 333-63593 of Provident Bancorp, Inc. on Form S-1 of our report dated October 31, 1997 relating to the consolidated statements of financial condition of Provident Bank and subsidiaries as of September 30, 1997 and 1996, and the related consolidated statements of income, changes in equity, and cash flows for the years then ended. We further consent to the use of our opinion dated September 14, 1998, which is included herein as an exhibit, regarding certain state income tax consequences of the proposed reorganization and offering. We consent to the references to our firm under the headings "THE REORGANIZATION AND OFFERING - Federal and State Tax Consequences of the Reorganization", "PROVIDENT BANK CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME", "LEGAL AND TAX MATTERS", and "EXPERTS" in the prospectus which is part of the Registration Statement. /s/ KPMG Peat Marwick LLP Stamford, Connecticut November 12, 1998