Education
He was educated at King Edward"s School, Birmingham and went on to study chemistry at the University of Birmingham, graduating with first class honours in 1921. He then went on to complete a Doctor of Philosophy under Professor G. T. Morgan.
Career
After completing his Doctor of Philosophy, he was appointed as an assistant lecturer in 1924 and then promoted to lecturer in 1927 at the University of Birmingham. Hickinbottom was a Reader at Queen Mary University of London (at the time named Queen Mary College) between 1947-1960 and then Professor from 1960-1963. He later became a visiting professor at the University of Khartoum.