Background
He was born in Carlisle the second son of William Darling of Edinburgh.
He was born in Carlisle the second son of William Darling of Edinburgh.
He was educated firstly at James Gillespie’s School then Daniel Stewart’s College and Heriot-Watt College. Edinburgh University later awarded him an honorary Doctor of Laws (Doctor of Laws).
He was a director of the Royal Bank of Scotland 1942-1957. In the First World War he joined the Black Watch as a private in 1914 and then after receiving a commission and joined the Royal Scots in 1915 as a 2nd Lieutenant. He saw much action and was wounded five times.
He was awarded the Military Cross with bar and was Mentioned in Dispatches.
From 1920 to 1922 he served in Eire as part of the Irish War of Independence. During this period, together with Hugh Pollard (1888-1966) he jointly printed the Weekly Summary: a synopsis of the war from a British perspective.
On leaving the army he became Director of the family drapers firm. He was Lord Provost of Edinburgh, 1941-1944.
National Government Candidate for West Lothian, 1937.
And Chairman, Scottish Council on Industry, 1942-1946. He was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1923 and knighted in 1943. In the Second World War he was Chief Air Raid Warden for Edinburgh from 1939-1941.
He died on 4 February 1962.
He is buried in Traquair Parish Churchyard. He was the great uncle of Alistair Darling, an Edinburgh Member of Parliament from 1987 to 2015 who held various ministerial and Cabinet posts in the Labour government from 1997 to 2010.
His portrait (as Lord Provost of Edinburgh), by Herbert James Gunn is held by the City of Edinburgh Council.
38th United Kingdom Parliament. 39th United Kingdom Parliament. 40th United Kingdom Parliament.
41st United Kingdom Parliament]
He became a member of Edinburgh City Council in 1933 and was City Treasurer, 1937-1940.