Henry Leicester Hicks was born in Newcastle-on-Tyne Northumberland, England on 5 February 1883. He was articled to his father, William Searle Hicks (1849-1902), and Henry Clement Charlewood (1857-1943) of Hicks & Charlewood and remained with them as an assistant. He also attended Newcastle College of Science and Northern Architectural Association classes. In 1907 he qualified as an architect and commenced independent practice in Newcastle-on-Tyne the following year. He was in partnership with Henry Clement Charlewood as Hicks & Charlewood from 1908 and from 1917 with Charlewood's son, George Edward Charlewood (1890-1962). Hicks was involved in alterations made to the Cathedral Church of St Nicholas of St. Nicholas in Newcastle upon Tyne. He also designed the World War One war memorials for Shotesham, South Norfolk in 1920 and Mirfield West Yorkshire in 1921 Hicks was elected an Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects (ARIBA) in 1908 and a Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects (FRIBA) in 1930.