Between 1778 and 1792 she was a West Indiaman, trading between Lancaster and Jamaica, St Lucia, and Grenada.

New owners in 1792 sailed Tom as a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people.

LR for 1793 shows Ainsworth replacing Collins as master on Hope.

Before Collins left on Hope, on 26 September 1791, James Savery had instructed him to sail on to the Cameroons to gather as much ivory and other dead cargo as he could find.

[3] Captain Ainsworth sailed from Liverpool on 24 March 1792, bound for the Cameroons.