- Robin Chichester-Clark
Sir Robert (Robin) Chichester-Clark (born
10 January 1928 ) wasmember of parliament for Londonderry in theBritish House of Commons from 1955 until February 1974, and was the first and only member representingNorthern Ireland to be a British government minister since theGovernment of Ireland Act 1920 .Early life
Chichester-Clark was born at Moyola Park,
Castledawson ,County Londonderry , his family'sancestral home . He was the eldest of three children of James J. Lenox-Conyngham Clark and Marion Caroline Dehra, née Chichester. His brother wasJames Chichester-Clark and his sister,Penelope Hobhouse , the garden writer and historian. 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. On his mother's side the family are descended from the Donegall Chichesters and were the heirs of the Dawsons ofCastledawson , who had originally held Moyola Park.He was educated at the
Royal Naval College , Dartmouth andMagdalene College, Cambridge . He began work as a journalist in 1949, worked aspublic relations officer for Glyndebourne 1952-3, before joining the publishing houseOxford University Press .Political Life
Chichester-Clark was elected for Londonderry at the 1955 general election. He was the third generation of politicians from his family. His grandfather represented Derry County and City at Westminster.His brother
James Chichester-Clark wasPrime Minister of Northern Ireland from 1969 to 1971, but resigned in the face of increasing violence and internalUlster Unionist Party splits. The family were also active in politics in the 19th century and Chichester-Clark's great great grandfather, The Rt. Hon. George Robert Dawson was Member of Parliament for Londonderry, later for an English constituency, before joining the Government of SirRobert Peel whose sister Mary he married. They lived atCastledawson .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. 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. In 1970 he remained outside the UK government because of the Premiership of his brother in Northern Ireland. WhenEdward Heath suspended theStormont Government and Parliament in 1972, he asked Chichester-Clark to go withWilliam 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.Later life
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 charities in medical research (
RAFT ) and the artsThe Arvon Foundation . He has also helped with fundraising for theRoyal Philharmonic Orchestra and is now involved with the development of the Museum of Illustration. Sir Robin lives inLondon .Personal life
He was first married to Jane Helen Goddard, daughter of Air Marshall Sir Robert Victor Goddard, KCB, CB. With Jane Goddard he had three children. He married, secondly, Caroline Bull (a barrister, the daughter of Anthony Bull CBE CStJ) with whom he has two sons (Adam, also a barrister, and Thomas). [Mosley, Charles, (Ed.) "Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage" (107th edition, 3 volumes, Burke's Peerage Ltd, 2003), volume 1, page 581] Chichester-Clark's sister,
Penelope Hobhouse , is a gardener, gardening writer and historian.Ancestors
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1= 1. Robin Chichester-Clark
2= 2. James Clark
3= 3.Marion Caroline Dehra Chichester
4= 4. James Jackson Clark DL, JP of Largantogher, Co. Londonderry
5= 5. Elizabeth Mary Lenox-Conyngham MBE
6= 6. Robert Peel Dawson Spencer Chichester MP
7= 7. Dehra Kerr-Fisher MP
8= 8.James Johnston Clark , DL, JP, MP
10= 10. Sir William Fitzwilliam Lenox-Conyngham
11= 11. Laura Arbuthnott
12= 12. Lord Adolphus John Spencer Churchill Chichester
13= 13. Mary Dawson ofCastledawson
14= 14. James Ker Fisher
15= 15. Annie Kerr-Forsythe
20= 20. William Lenox- Conyngham
21= 21. Charlotte Melosina Staples ofLissan House
22= 22.George Arbuthnot (d.3/11/1843)
23= 23. Elizabeth Fraser
24= 24.Edward Chichester, 4th Marquess of Donegall
25= 25. Amelia Spread Deane Grady
26= 26. Col.Robert Peel Dawson References
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