Chichester-Clark was born at Moyola Park, Castledawson, County Londonderry, his family"s ancestral home. On his mother"s side the family are descended from the Donegall Chichesters and were the heirs of the Dawsons of Castledawson, who had originally held Moyola Park.
Magdalene College.
He was the eldest of three children of James J. Lenox-Conyngham Clark and Marion Caroline Dehra, née Chichester. In 1924 James Clark, Snr. changed the family name to Chichester-Clark by deed poll, thus preventing the old ascendancy name Chichester (his wife"s maiden name) from dying out. He was educated at the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth and Magdalene College, Cambridge.
He began work as a journalist in 1949, worked as public relations officer for Glyndebourne 1952-1953, before joining the publishing house Oxford University Press.
Chichester-Clark was elected for Londonderry at the 1955 general election. He was the third generation of politicians from his family.
The family were also active in politics in the 19th century and Chichester-Clark"s great great grandfather, The Rt. Honorary They lived at Castledawson.
He held the position of Assistant Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of the Treasury, Comptroller of the Household, was Conservative Spokesman for Northern Ireland and on the Arts, Shadow Minister of Public Building and Works and, ultimately, Minister of State for Employment.
When Edward Heath suspended the Stormont Government and Parliament in 1972, he asked Chichester-Clark to go with William Whitelaw to Northern Ireland as Minister of State. Chichester-Clark did not accept but later joined the administration as Minister of State for Employment. Before the first 1974 Election he announced his retirement from the Londonderry constituency and did not put himself forward for reselection.
Since 1974 he has worked as a director of companies in the construction industry, as a political adviser to the NFBTE, as a management consultant and as Chairman of the medical research charity RAFT (wwwraftacuk) and The Arvon Foundation.
He has also helped with fundraising for the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and is now involved with the development of the Museum of Illustration. Sir Robin lives in London.
41st United Kingdom Parliament. 42nd United Kingdom Parliament. 43rd United Kingdom Parliament.
44th United Kingdom Parliament.
45th United Kingdom Parliament]
Chichester-Clark was consistently either a Front Bench Spokesman for the Opposition or a member of the Government of Harold Macmillan and, later, Edward Heath.
