Frederick was the son of Alfred Shipman and Mary Ellen (also Ellen Mary) Shipman nee Harris.
His father was born in Grantham, Lincolnshire, and his mother in Nottingham. They were married in 1884 (A/M/J Nottingham).
Ellen Harris already had a son, Arthur Albert Harris, birth registered 1880 (J/F/M Radford), and in 1881 they were both living with her parents, George and Eliza Harris, at 8 Ilkeston Road, Nottingham. Later census records give Arthur's surname as either Harris or Shipman and although he is usually described as Alfred Shipman's son in 1911 Arthur was using the surname Harris and was described as Alfred's stepson.
The 1911 Census record completed by either Alfred as head of household or his wife, gave the information that they had been married for 27 years and had had nine children of whom only six were still living. Six children were named on the census between 1881 and 1911: Arthur Albert Harris/Shipman, Helen b. 1884 (O/N/D Nottingham), Florence (Florrie) b. abt 1887, Lilian b. 1893 J/A/S Nottingham, Frederick b. 1888 (A/M/J Nottingham) and Alfred Leonard b. 1890 (A/M/J Nottingham). All the children were born in Radford, Nottingham.
In 1891 Alfred (30), a slater, and his wife Ellen (32) were living at 8 Ilkeston Road, Radford, Nottingham. In the home on the night of the census were Arthur (11), Helen (6), Florrie (4), Frederick (3) and Alfred (1) and the widowed Eliza Harris (69), Alfred's mother-in-law.
By 1901 the family was living at 12 Holden Street, New Radford. Alfred (39) was still working as a slater while Mary (42) was working as a lace mender. Also in the household were Helen (16) and Florence (14), both hosiery makers, Frederick (12), Alfred (11) and Lilian (7).
On the same census, Arthur Harris (21) a solicitor's assistant, was recorded living at 16 Holden Street, Radford, with his maternal grandmother, Eliza Harris (78).
Frederick joined the Sherwood Foresters in August 1906 at the age of 18. He named his parents and two brothers as his next of kin who were living at 58 Ilkeston Road, Nottingham.
In 1911 Frederick was serving as a musician with the 2nd Battalion Sherwood Foresters in Devon and based at Crownhill Hutments, Crownhill.
His parents were living at 16 Moorgate, New Radford, in 1911. With them in the household on the night of the census were Alfred (21) a bobbin and carriage maker, Lilian (17) a pinafore machinist and also Arthur Harris (31) a wood sawyer, described as Alfred's stepson, and George Harris (38) a general labourer, who was Alfred's nephew by marriage.
During his transfer to the Reserves and temporary return to 'civvy street' he married Mabel Gale of 13 Smith Street, Radford. They were married at Nottingham Register Office on 16 October 1912 (O/N/D Nottingham) and their only child, Florence May was born the following year on 21 April 1913 (A/M/J Nottingham). Mabel was still living at 13 Smith Street in 1915.
Mabel married John Wilson, a tripe dresser, of 70 Trent Road, Sneinton, in the summer of 1915 (J/A/S Nottingham). There was a child, or children, of the marriage.
Mabel Wilson was living at 556 Mansfield Road, Sherwood, when in March 1920 she completed a form for the army listing her late husband's surviving blood relatives:
Wife: Mabel Wilson, 556 Mansfield Road, Sherwood
Child: Florence May Shipman, 556 Mansfield Road, Sherwood
Father and mother: Alfred and Ellen Shipman, 16 Moorgate Street, Radford
Brother: (illegible) Shipman (27), 1 Holden Street, Radford
Sisters: Florence Shipman, Sheffield; Nellie (?Helen) Shipman (32), Vernon Road, Basford; Lilian Shipman (25) 14 Moorgate Street, Radford.
Frederick's mother, Mary Ellen Shipman, died on 26 November 1921 (Dec Nottingham) aged 63.