Frederick William Martin was born in Birmingham, Warwickshire, England on 10 November 1859 and was the son of William Hippisley Martin (1828-1900), an architect and surveyor with whom he may have received his training as an architect. He also studied at the University of London. Details of his early architectural career are unclear. By the early 1880s he had returned to Birmingham and in the 1881 England and Wales Census gave as his occupation, Architect.
His father was in partnership with John Henry Chamberlain (1831-1883) as Martin & Chamberlain from 1864 to 1883, and, following latter's death, Frederick William Martin became a partner in the practice. His younger brother, Herbert Martin (1864-1946) later also joined the firm. The practice retained the title Martin & Chamberlain until 1901, however, following the death of William Martin it was renamed Martin & Martin.
Frederick William Martin was elected a Licentiate of the Royal Institute of British Architects (LRIBA). He was also an active member of the Birmingham Architectural Association. His address was given as 106 Colmore Row, Birmingham in 1911 and 1917. He died at his home, Abbey Cottage, Abbey Road, Harborne, Staffordshire on 7 July 1917.
After Frederick William Martin's death in 1917, his son, Cyril Frederick Martin (1888-?) joined his uncle, Herbert Martin, as a partner, together with William Henry Ward (1878-?)
Works by Martin & Chamberlain 1885-1900: Between the early 1885 and 1901 Martin & Chamberlain designed, altered or worked on additions to numerous schools for the Birmingham School Board. Other works by the practice included St. John the Evangelist Church, Sparkhill, Birmingham (1888); Water Tower for Victoria Park, Small Heath, Birmingham (1888); Factory and warehouse for Southall Bros. and Barclay, Dalton Street, Birmingham (1889); Electricity Sub Station, Bristol Road, Selly Oak, Birmingham (1890); Stabling and mess rooms for Small Arms Co., Golden Hillock Road, Small Heath, Birmingham (1890); Pumping Station, Longrodge (1890-91); Small Heath Free Library and Public Baths, Green Lane, Small Heath, Birmingham (1894); Offices and Exchange for National Telephone Co., 17-19, Newhall Steet, Birmingham (1896); Hollymoor Mental Hospital for Birmingham Corporation (1896-1905); Stores, Fleet Street, Birmingham for National Telephone Co. (1899); Shop, Oliver Street, Birmingham for Brampton Bros. (1899); New baths and engineer's house, Green Lane, Bordesley for Birmingham Parks and Baths Department (1900).
Works by Martin & Martin 1902-1914: Twelve houses, Rotton Park Road, Edgbaston (1902; Shop, Aston Brook Street, Birmingham for Brampton Bros. (1905); Shop, Cambridge Street, Birmingham for Birmingham Aluminium Co. (1906); Shop, Chester Street, Birmingham for Brampton Bros. (1907); Nurses Home, Summer Hill, Birmingham for Birmingham and District Nursing Society (1907); Women's Hospital, Showell Green Lane, Sparkhill, Birmingham (1907); Factory, Sheepcote Street, Birmingham for E. Cutler (1908); Hospital for Children, Ladywood Road, Birmingham (1913); Shop for Harborne Tenants Ltd., The Circle, Moor Park, Harborne (1914); Shop, Bloomsbury Street, Birmingham for Brampton Bros. (1914); Motor Garage, Formans Road, Birmingham for Mirror Laundries Co. (1914).
Directory of British Architects 1834-1914. Compiled by Antonia Brodie, et al. Volume 2: L-Z. London; New York: British Architectural Library, Royal Institute of British Architects/Continuum, 2001
‘Obituary’. The Building News and Engineering Journal vol. 113, 1917 p. 25
Shackley, Barbara. ‘Frederick William’ in Birmingham’s Victorian and Edwardian Architects, edited by Phillada Ballard. Wetherby, Yorkshire: Oblong Creative for the Birmingham and West Midlands Group of the Victorian Society, 2009 pp. 338-363
Thornton, Roy. Victorian Buildings of Birmingham. Stroud, Gloucestershire: Sutton Publishing Ltd., 2006 Chapter 1. Martin & Chamberlain pp. 1-7 [This book contains several other references to the work of Martin & Chamberlain, however, unfortuinately the book is not indexed]