Frederick Meares Osborne was born in Sydney in 1909. Educated at North Sydney High School, Sydney Church of England Grammar School and the University of Sydney, he was admitted to the Bar in 1934 and became a solicitor with Dudley, Westgarth and Company.  

In 1938, Osborne joined the Royal Australian Naval Reserve (RANVR) and, on the outbreak of war, was mobilised as a Sub-Lieutenant. He served with the Royal Navy in the United Kingdom (1940-46), during which time he commanded HM Ships Gentian (1941), Vanquisher (1943) and Peacock (1945). He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) in 1940 and Bar in 1945. Demobilised in October 1946, Osborne returned to practising law in Sydney and was appointed a Lieutenant-Commander in the RANVR in 1947 and Commander in 1955.

Osborne entered federal Parliament as the Liberal Member for Evans (NSW) in the general elections of December 1949, and was re-elected in 1951, 1954, 1955 and 1958. His most senior appointments were as Minister for Trade and Customs (1956), Minister for Air (1956-1960) and Minister for Repatriation (1960-1961). He also acted in other portfolios at different times; was a member of the Parliamentary delegation to the Coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 1953; and represented Australia at the inauguration of Ghana in 1957. He was defeated in the 1961 general elections.

After leaving federal politics, Frederick Osborne was a Director of the Australian Ballet Foundation (1979-87), a member of the National Bank's NSW Board of Advice, a Chairman or Director of various companies and a legal consultant. He was made a Companion in the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in 1969 and died in 1996.

Sources:

Parliamentary Handbook 1959, pp 168-9; 1962, p 234
Who's Who in Australia 1995, p 1150

Agency associated with person unregistered

       1947-       1949: Australian Institute of Political Science -
                         Director
       1953-       1953: Parliamentary delegation to the Coronation
                         of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II - Member
06 Mar 1957-06 Mar 1957: Inauguration of Ghana - Commonwealth
                         Government's Representative
       1963-?          : Lloyds - General Counsel in Australia
       1967-       1970: Liberal Party of Australia, NSW Division -
                         President
       1968-?          : University of Sydney - Esquire Bedell
       1971-?          : Swiss-Australian Society - President

Company positions (post 1961?):
 British Aircraft Corporation (Aust) Pty Ltd - Chairman
 Hardboards of Australia Ltd - Chairman
 Marley Aust Ltd - Chairman
 Mauri Bros and Thomson Ltd - Chairman
 Sandoz Aust Pty Ltd - Chairman
 Burns Philp and Co Ltd - Director
 Email Ltd - Director
 H B Selby Aust Ltd - Director