Thomas Ollivant was a Manchester maker, although his mark was registered in London.  These sugar tongs are interesting for the following reason.

 

Thomas Ollivant registered as a Plate-worker in London in May 1789.  It is believed that he was more of a retailer than a Plate-worker, buying London stock for resale, probably in Manchester.  "Touching Gold & Silver", a catalogue of an exhibition at Goldsmith's hall in November 1978 discusses a cream jug with Thomas Ollivant's marks over-striking Peter & Jonathan Bateman marks.  It therefore seems that Thomas Ollivant bought silver from the Bateman workshops and over-struck his own mark before selling the item.

For all 4 pairs of tongs, the maker's mark is over-struck on top of another mark;

With the first & second pairs, the mark underneath looks extremely like it could be Hester Bateman's mark;

Notice the overall style of the tongs and the similarity with Hester Bateman's work.

My theory is therefore that Thomas Ollivant bought these tongs from Hester Bateman, over-struck with his own mark and then sold them.  Perhaps more tongs will come to light, showing the Thomas Ollivant mark over-struck on a Bateman mark, or even the mark of another maker.  Has anyone seen a pair of Thomas Ollivant tongs where the maker's mark is NOT over-struck?

 

Richard Evans of Shrewsbury is another provincial maker who appeared to have done the same.