Frederick Wheeler was born in Brixton, Surrey [now London], England in October 1853. He was articled to Charles Henry Driver (1832-1900) in London from 1868 to 1872 and remained with him as his assistant for three years. He also worked as an assistant to Taylor & Dyball in London and other architects.
In 1875 Wheeler set up his own independent practice in London in partnership with Edward Power (1840-). Wheeler later collaborated on projects with Sydney Searle, Charles Richard Bayley Godman (1879-1946) and Christopher William Frederick Wheeler (1878-1931) [Frederick Wheeler's son], all three of whom had been articled to him and had later worked as his assistants. It is not known if they were ever formally in partnership with him.
A photograph of a fireplace with 'Bostel' grate, designed by Wheeler and executed by The Coalbrookdale Co. is illustrated in 'The Studio Yearbook of Decorative Art' 1906 (p.102).
Frederick Wheeler was elected an Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects (ARIBA) in 1877 and a Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects (FRIBA) in 1884.
He exhibited at the Royal Academy in London in 1902-03. Wheeler had offices in London from the 1870s to the late 1920s. He died in Sutton, Surrey on 15 March 1931.
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 Builder vol. 140, 17 April 1931 p. 706
‘Obituary’. RIBA Journal vol. 38, 1931 pp. 467, 565