Patrick Jenkin was born on 7 September 1926, son of Mr and Mrs C. O. F. Jenkin. He was educated at the Dragon School, Oxford, then Clifton College before going on to study at Jesus College, Cambridge. In 1952 he married Alison Monica Graham, having two sons and two daughters.

After his National Service with the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders (1945-48), Jenkin returned to Cambridge to graduate with a 1st Class Honours degree in Law in 1951. He was the Harmsworth Scholar at the Middle Temple in the same year and was called to the Bar in 1952.

Combining a political career with business interests, Jenkin had a position at the Distillers Company Limited from 1957 up until 1970, but began life in the political arena as a member of first Hornsey Borough Council (1960-63), then of London Council of Social Service (1963-67). In 1964 Jenkin became MP for Winston Churchill's old constituency of Wanstead and Woodford in Essex, a seat which he was to hold until he stepped down in 1987. Promotion soon followed, with Jenkin becoming an Opposition front bench spokesman on Treasury, Trade and Economics (1965-70), also serving as Joint Vice-Chairman of the Conservative Parliamentary Trade and Power Committee (1966-67), then Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Chemical Industry (1968-70). With the Conservatives back in power under Edward Heath in 1970, Jenkin became first Financial Secretary, then from 1972 Chief Secretary to the Treasury, reaching ministerial rank in 1974 as Minister for Energy. While the Conservatives were out of office, he was Opposition front bench spokesman on Energy (1974-76), then on Social Services (1976-79). Returning to office with Margaret Thatcher, Jenkin became Secretary of State firstly for Social Services (1979-81), then for Industry (1981-83) and finally for the Environment (1983-85). Jenkin has also served as President of various organisations, including the National Conservative Political Centre Committee (1983-86) and the Greater London Area, National Union of Conservative Associations in 1989 (he was Vice-President from 1987 to 1989). He was made a Privy Counsellor in 1973 and a life peer in 1987. He died on 20 December 2016.