Born in Adelaide, South Australia, grandson of Robert Birrell (died 1880) and son of Frederick (c. 1877 – 31 July 1952) and May Birrell (née Moran), he was educated at state schools before becoming an auto worker.

From 1959 to 1963 he was the South Australian Secretary of the Vehicle Builders' Union, becoming its federal president 1961–1962.

In 1963, he was elected to the Australian House of Representatives as the Labor member for Port Adelaide.

[1] Fred Birrell married Patricia Lundie, a daughter of Francis Walter Lundie, long time leader of the Amalgamated Shearers' Union, then the Australian Workers' Union, Councillor for the Corporation of the City of Adelaide and the Port Adelaide Council, Board member of the Royal Adelaide Hospital and the Royal Zoological Society of South Australia.

This article about an Australian Labor Party member of the House of Representatives is a stub.