Frederick William Heywood was born in 1884 in Birmingham, Warwickshire. He married Ellen Ada Hyde in June 1908 in his hometown.
When Frederick moved to Australia he played for Birmingham Victoria.
He enlisted in September 1914 and despite suffering from influenza in France, rose to Sergeant. Frederick was discharged in London where he obtained work with the National Shell Factory Birmingham.
He later returned to Australia but not Victoria, instead opting to live in Sydney.