Frederick Harney Overmann was born in Chorlton-on-Medlock, Manchester, Lancashire, England on 5 April 1861. He was articled to Charles Clegg (1829-1922) and John Knowles (1830-1879) Clegg & Knowles in Manchester from 1878 to 1882 and remained with them as an assistant for a year. He then spent a further two years training in the office of Henry Hudson Holly (1834-1892) in New York City, before returning to Manchester where he worked as an assistant to Charles Clegg & Son until 1898 when he became a partner in the firm. The partnership was dissolved in 1911 following which Overmann practised under his own name. From c.1903 until his retirement in 1928 he was Architect to the South Manchester Board of Guardians.
Overmann was elected a Licentiate of the Royal Institute of British Architects (LRIBA) in 1911 and was a Fellow of the Manchester Society of Architects. He died at his home, 2 Greenwood Gardens, Aughton Road, Birkdale, Southport, Lancashire on 20 January 1947.
Architect to the Guardians of the Poor of South Manchester, for whom he has built many hospital blocks, children's home, receiving ward, nurses' home, lunatic wards, &c.; also many large warehouses, private houses, &c., in the Manchester district. [Source: Who's Who in Architecture 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