Joseph Hicks was a well-known and prolific Exeter maker. He  was apprenticed in 1771 and in 1778 took on his own apprentice, so will have been operating as a silversmith in his own right by then. He was admitted as a member of the company in 1785. Joseph HJicks died on 26th February 1835.

The earliest record we know of for assaying of sugar tongs was in 1780/81. He was such a prolific maker of sugar tongs that he had no less than 6,019 pairs of tongs assayed between 8th August 1780 and 7th August 1817.

The earlier tongs are marked with the lion and makers mark only, dating them prior to 1784 when the duty mark was introduced.