Robert was born in 1932 during the summer recess, when the Raj made its annual relocation from Delhi to the hill station of Shimla in the foothills of The Himalayas.

He underwent an arduous transition to British schooling brought about in part by the outbreak of the Second World War. After enduring time at a London "crammer" Robert succeeded in gaining a place at Harrow, which was followed by National Service in the Royal Armoured Corps, based mainly in Northern Ireland, where he was awarded a commission as 2nd Lieutenant. On completing National Service, Robert chose to study history at Queen's College, Cambridge.

After graduation Robert worked briefly as a stockbroker in the City of London, before leaving to pursue his real passion; journalism. He found work writing for The Western Mail in Cardiff. Through joint Cambridge acquaintances Robert met May Collacott, whom he subsequently married. Robert was then transferred with his new wife by Thomson Newspapers to be their correspondent in southern Africa, based first in Nairobi, and later in Salisbury (now Harare).

After returning to the UK, Robert rose through Lord Thomson's newspaper group to become editor of The Guardian in Trinidad; (the paper disguised as The Sentinel in novels by V.S. Naipaul, who also contributed to the real newspaper occasionally). In the late sixties Robert took the decision to leave Thomson's and began a publishing career in London, where he and May raised their two infant children, Susan and Jonathan.

A run for a council seat in the London Borough of Camden in the mid 1970s was not successful, and, after a dozen years living in London, the family resettled in Ohio, near the metalworking firm owned by May's side of the family. Robert worked there for most of the 1980s, before joining a local car leasing firm in Cleveland, where he remained until his retirement.

Robert was a keen amateur photographer, and used to operate his own black and white darkroom in the era before the digital camera came along. For over two decades he attended the subscription seasons of the Cleveland Orchestra at Severance Hall. He also devoted much time to his favourite clubs, the Novel Club of Cleveland and the Rowfant Club, in which he served as President.

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Robert was the loving husband of May C. Targett (nee Collacott). He was the dear father of Susan Targett of Kilfenora, Co. Clare, Ireland and Jonathan Targett of Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, UK. 

The family prefers that those who wish may make contributions in his name to the Cleveland Orchestra (https://give.clevelandorchestra.com/tribute-memoriam). 

A Funeral Service will be held at Trinity Cathedral, 2230 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44115 on Thursday, December 11, 2025 at 11 AM.

Private interment, Lake View Cemetery.