(1775 - 1858)

Darling was born in Ireland in January 1772, the eldest son of Sergeant Christopher and Ann Darling. He was commissioned as an ensign in 1793, and saw service during the Napoleonic Wars in the West Indies, Corunna and at Walchern.

He finally ended up in the Horse Guards as officer in charge of recruitment, and was eventually posted to Mauritius as a major general where he remained until 1823, during which time he had twice served as governor. He returned to England until he was appointed as Governor of New South Wales in 1825, a position he held until 1831. During his tenure he introduced several important reforms, and was noted for his devotion to duty and his high level of integrity.

His opponents enlisted the help of radicals opposed to his aloof and conservative views, whose campaign against Governor Darling led to a parliamentary enquiry in 1835. Darling was cleared of all charges against him, was knighted, and returned to England where he retired to Cheltenham and then to Brighton, where he lived until his death with his wife Elizabeth and two of his seven children.

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