Robert (Robin) Chichester-Clark was born in Londonderry, Northern Ireland on 10 January 1928. He was educated at the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth and Magdalene College, Cambridge. He married Jane Helen Goddard in 1953 (marriage dissolved 1972) and Caroline Bull in 1974.
Chichester-Clark first worked as a journalist and public relations officer, but in keeping with the family tradition he entered political life in the 1950s. Three previous generations of his family represented Northern Irish constituencies in Westminster and Stormont, and his brother, James Chichester-Clark, was Prime Minister of Northern Ireland (1969-1971). Sir Robin became the Ulster Unionist MP for Londonderry in 1955, and held the seat until he retired from Parliament in 1974.
Chichester-Clark was a government whip from 1959 to 1964. During the ensuing Labour government he became the Chief Opposition Spokesman on Northern Ireland (1964-1970) and on Public Building and Works and the Arts (1965-70). In Ted Heath’s government he served as Minister of State for Employment (1972-74).