# John Darling Jr.

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{{Short description|Australian politician}}
{{Use Australian English|date=August 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name        = John Darling Jr.
|image       = John Darling Jr..jpg
|order       = 11th [Leader of the Opposition](/source/Leader_of_the_Opposition_(South_Australia)) (SA)
|term_start  = 1902
|term_end    = 1904
|predecessor = [Robert Homburg](/source/Robert_Homburg)
|successor   = [Thomas Price](/source/Thomas_Price_(South_Australian_politician))
|birth_date  = {{birth date|1852|1|24|df=y}}
|death_date  = {{death date and age|1914|3|27|1852|1|24|df=y}}
|party       = [Australasian National League](/source/National_Defence_League_(Australia)) (1896–05)
}}
'''John Darling Jr.''' (24 January 1852 – 27 March 1914) was a Scottish born [South Australia](/source/South_Australia)n businessman and politician. He was a member of the [South Australian House of Assembly](/source/South_Australian_House_of_Assembly) from 1896 to 1905, representing the electorates of [East Torrens](/source/electoral_district_of_East_Torrens) (1896-1902) and [Torrens](/source/electoral_district_of_Torrens) (1902-1905). He was [Leader of the Opposition](/source/Leader_of_the_Opposition_(South_Australia)) from 1902 to 1904.<ref name=parl>{{cite SA-parl |pid=3734 |name=Mr John Darling Jr. |former=yes |access-date=19 August 2022}}</ref> After leaving politics, he was chairman of the board of directors of [BHP](/source/BHP) from 1907 to 1914.

==Early life and business==
Born in [Edinburgh](/source/Edinburgh), Scotland, the eldest son of [John Darling Sr.](/source/John_Darling_Sr.), on 24 January 1852, Darling emigrated to [South Australia](/source/South_Australia) with his parents and brother, arriving in [Adelaide](/source/Adelaide) early in 1855.<ref name=adbSenior>{{Australian Dictionary of Biography |first=H. S. K. |last=Kent |title=Darling, John (1831–1905) |id2=darling-john-3368 |access-date=5 December 2013}}</ref> He was educated at the Pulteney Street School (later [Pulteney Grammar School](/source/Pulteney_Grammar_School)) and at the age of 14 started work in his father's business.<ref name=obit2>{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article50751713 |title=Obituary |newspaper=[The Examiner](/source/The_Examiner_(Tasmania)) |location=Launceston, Tas. |date=30 March 1914 |access-date=28 October 2014 |page=6 Edition: Daily |via=Trove}}</ref>

In 1872 he was brought into partnership in his father's business, renamed [John Darling & Son](/source/John_Darling_%26_Son). His father retired in October 1897, leaving him in sole control. Under his control, the company purchased the Eclipse flour mills, [Port Adelaide](/source/Port_Adelaide), and the goodwill of [J. Dunn and Co.](/source/John_Dunn_(miller)) in ???. He founded a hay-compressing business in [Gawler](/source/Gawler), near the railway station. He became a director of [BHP](/source/BHP) in 1892 and was chairman of directors from 1907 to 1914.<ref name=adb/> He was on the local directorates of several insurance and mining companies with head offices in [London](/source/London), a director of the [National Mutual](/source/National_Mutual) Assurance Society, Victoria and the Port Adelaide Dock Company. He was an active member of the Chamber of Commerce, the Shipowners' Association, and the South Australian Employers' Union.<ref name=obit2/>

==Politics and social==
Darling was part of the [Australasian National League](/source/National_Defence_League_(Australia)) (previously National Defence League) and represented [East Torrens](/source/Electoral_district_of_East_Torrens) in the [South Australian House of Assembly](/source/South_Australian_House_of_Assembly) the [1896 election](/source/1896_South_Australian_colonial_election) to the [1902 election](/source/1902_South_Australian_state_election), and after a boundary redistribution, [Torrens](/source/Electoral_district_of_Torrens) until the [1905 election](/source/1905_South_Australian_state_election).<ref name=parl/> He served as eleventh [Leader of the Opposition](/source/Leader_of_the_Opposition_(South_Australia)). He was involved in the reconstruction of the Ministry following the retirement of the Hon. J. G. Jenkins, and when (later Sir) [Richard Butler](/source/Richard_Butler_(Australian_politician)) took office in 1905 prior to the election.

He was proud of his Scottish heritage; he was a member of the [Caledonian Society of South Australia](/source/Caledonian_Society_of_South_Australia), and its Chief 1904–1907.

==Family==
thumb|right
Darling married Jessie Dowie (1852 – 23 November 1915), cousin of the evangelist [John Alexander Dowie](/source/John_Alexander_Dowie) and aunt of the sculptor [John Dowie (artist)](/source/John_Dowie_(artist)) on 14 October 1875 and lived at "Lynton", Kent Terrace, [Norwood](/source/Norwood%2C_South_Australia). Their children included:
*Jessie Isabel Darling (1876–1907)
*Alexander John Darling (1878–1896)
*Elsie Darling (1880–1891)
*Florence Darling (1883– ) married [Frederick Young](/source/Frederick_William_Young), M.P. for [Stanley](/source/Electoral_district_of_Stanley_(South_Australia)), later Agent-General for South Australia.
*[Harold Gordon Darling](/source/Harold_Gordon_Darling) (1885 – 26 January 1950) became head of [John Darling & Son](/source/John_Darling_%26_Son) and chairman of BHP.
*Gertrude "Gertie" Darling (1887–1968)
*Grace Darling (1889–1964)
*Leonard Darling (1891–) lived in UK from 1911<ref>{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article59242387 |title=Concerning People |newspaper=[The Register](/source/The_Register_(Adelaide)) |location=Adelaide |date=4 November 1912 |access-date=26 November 2011 |page=6 |via=Trove}}</ref> and served in World War I. His son Leonard Gordon Darling (1921 - 31 August 2015,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.artandaustralia.com/news/headlines/vale-gordon-darling |title=Tribute to Leonard Gordon Darling from Artand, Melbourne |access-date=8 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151002010155/http://www.artandaustralia.com/news/headlines/vale-gordon-darling |archive-date=2 October 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref> born in London, England) served in World War II, reaching the rank of captain, became a director of [BHP](/source/BHP) in 1953 and chairman of John Darling & Son in 1963.<ref>Barnier, Cheryl ''Notable Australians'' Paul Hamlyn Pty, Australia 1978 {{ISBN|0-86832-012-9}}</ref> He was a founding patron of the [National Portrait Gallery](/source/National_Portrait_Gallery_(Australia)).<ref name=npg>{{cite web|url=http://www.portrait.gov.au/people/l-gordon-darling-1921|title=L. Gordon Darling AC, CMG 1891–2015 |publisher=National Portrait Gallery|access-date=23 May 2015}}</ref>
*Norman Darling (1893–1964) became director of John Darling & Son in 1953.
He died in a Melbourne private hospital on 27 March 1914. He had been in that city a few days to chair a meeting of [BHP](/source/BHP), when he took ill. His estate was valued at £1,694,500.<ref name=adb>{{Australian Dictionary of Biography |first=H. S. K. |last=Kent |title=Darling, John (1852–1914) |id2=darling-john-3876 |access-date=5 December 2013}}</ref>

A brother, James Darling (2 September 1857 – 19 March 1929) married Jessie's sister Elizabeth "Bessie" Dowie (24 September 1862 – 12 June 1896) on 26 October 1882; had son Arthur Garfield Darling in 1883, daughter Ruth Darling in 1885. He purchased Glenaroua Station in Victoria from Thomas Singleton in 1901, then moved to [Carnamah](/source/Carnamah), [Western Australia](/source/Western_Australia) and became the largest landowner in the region, passed to son Arthur.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.carnamah.com.au/bio/arthur-garfield-darling|title=Biographical Dictionary of Coorow, Carnamah and Three Springs: Arthur Darling|publisher=Carnamah Historical Society |access-date=23 May 2017}}</ref> Later lived at 41 Riversdale Road, [Hawthorn, Victoria](/source/Hawthorn%2C_Victoria).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.carnamah.com.au/bio/james-darling|title=Biographical Dictionary of Coorow, Carnamah and Three Springs: James Darling|publisher=Carnamah Historical Society |access-date=23 May 2017}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}
&nbsp;
{{s-start}}
{{s-off}}
{{s-bef|before=[Robert Homburg](/source/Robert_Homburg)}}
{{s-ttl|title=[Leader of the Opposition of South Australia](/source/Leader_of_the_Opposition_(South_Australia))|years=1902–1904}}
{{s-aft | after =[Thomas Price](/source/Thomas_Price_(South_Australian_politician))}}
{{s-par|au-sa-la}}
{{s-bef | before=[David Packham](/source/David_Packham) }}
{{s-ttl | title=Member for [East Torrens](/source/Electoral_district_of_East_Torrens) |  years=1896–1902|alongside=[Frederick Coneybeer](/source/Frederick_Coneybeer)}}
{{s-non | reason=Electorate abolished}}
{{s-new| district}}
{{s-ttl | title=Member for [Torrens](/source/Electoral_district_of_Torrens) |  years=1902–1905|alongside=[Jenkins](/source/John_Jenkins_(Australian_politician)), [Soward](/source/George_Soward), [Price](/source/Thomas_Price_(South_Australian_politician)), [Coneybeer](/source/Frederick_Coneybeer)}}
{{s-aft | after =[Crawford Vaughan](/source/Crawford_Vaughan)<br />[George Dankel](/source/George_Dankel)<br />[Thomas Hyland Smeaton](/source/Thomas_Hyland_Smeaton)<br />[Thomas Ryan](/source/Thomas_Ryan_(1870%E2%80%931943))}}
{{s-end}}

{{authority control}}
{{BHP}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Darling, John, Jr.}}
Category:1852 births
Category:1914 deaths
Category:Politicians from Edinburgh
Category:British emigrants to the Colony of South Australia
Category:Australian flour millers and merchants
Category:Leaders of the opposition in South Australia
Category:Members of the South Australian House of Assembly
Category:19th-century Australian businesspeople
Category:BHP people
Category:People educated at Pulteney Grammar School

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [John Darling Jr.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Darling_Jr.) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Darling_Jr.?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.