Frederick Wright was born in Great Billing, Northamptonshire, England on 3 December 1888 and he was baptised on 6 January 1889. He was the son of William Wright (b. 1845), a shoemaker, and Esther Harlot (b. 1848), both Great Billing-natives who had married in 1866.

Frederick was one of fifteen children; his known siblings (including two sisters named Julia) were: William (b. 1866), Elizabeth (b. 1868), Philadelphus (b. 1870), Priscilla (b. 1872), Julia (b. 1873), Robert Charles (b. 1877), Charlotte (b. 1878), Julia (b. 1881), Rebecca (b. 1881), Ernest Robert (b. 1882) and Ida Emily (b. 1885).

Frederick appears on the 1891 census living with his family in St Giles, Great Billing. His mother passed away in 1896; his father, perhaps unable to care for him by himself, sent Frederick to live with his older married brother William and his family and he would appear here on the 1901 census at Alms House Village. Aged 12, it is indicated that he has already left school and is working as a domestic houseboy.

By the time the 1911 census was conducted Frederick is absent. His father is listed as living at St Giles, Great Billing with his unmarried daughter Ida and is now described as an agricultural labourer.

When he signed-on to the Titanic, on 4 April 1912, Frederick gave his address as 22 Stern Street, Shepherd's Bush, (London). His last ship had been the Olympic. As the racquet court attendant, he received weekly wages of £1, a meagre sum and he perhaps relied heavily on tips from his wealthy clientele.

Wright met Colonel Archibald Gracie shortly after the collision and Gracie jokingly cancelled his racquets lesson for the next morning. Wright seemed concerned, probably because by that time he knew the racquet court was filling with water.

Wright died in the sinking. His body, if recovered, was never identified.  

Titanic concert
At Great billing on Sunday afternoon, a concert in memory of the late Mr. F. Wright, who lost his life in the Titanic, was given by the Northampton Imperial band, conducted by Mr. S. Piper, late of the 58th regiment. The band first played two of the deceased's favourite hymns outside his father's house, and afterwards gave the following programme: – March, "To the front" (J. Hulme); selection, "Sabbath chimes" (H. Round); cornet solo, "Ora pro nobis" (Piccolomoni), Musician Walding; selection, "Kyrie and Gloria," from Mozart's Twelfth Mass; Hymn, "Nearer, my God, to Thee"; Funeral March (Chopin); hymn, Kyrie Eleeson [sic] (Mozart). The arrangements were made by Mr. C. H. Ponting and the following committee: Messrs. F. Barber, A. Copson (treasurer), R. Britten, G. Clarke, and F. Bustin. A collection was taken for the Titanic Relief Fund. — Northampton Mercury - Friday 24 May 1912

Frederick is mentioned on the family headstone in the churchyard at St Andrew church, Great Billing, Northampton.

His father continued to live in Northamptonshire and died in 1933.