DARLING, Sir Robert (d.1770), of Bethnal Green, London

Darling, according to a local antiquary,Rev. T. O. Marsh, ‘Colls. for a biog. of remarkable persons connected with the county of Bedford’, Add. 21067, f. 62. was

born at Chellington [Beds.] of humble parentage, where when a boy he used to keep cows on the hill on which the church stands. When of proper age, as we have been informed, he put himself apprentice to a lapidary, after which by great diligence and other means he acquired a large fortune.

In the London directories he appears as a merchant trading at Mile End; and in a list of the House of Commons, published in the Gentleman’s Magazine for 1769,Supplement, p. 632. as a ‘contractor for cartouch boxes for the army’. His willN. Q. (ser. 8), ii. 387. shows that he had property in London, the home counties, and Cumberland; and also at Wendover.

Darling was returned at Wendover with the support of Robert Atkins, a lace maker in the town, who led an opposition to Lord Verney, patron of the borough; according to OldfieldHist. Boroughs, i. 40.‘no opposition [to Verney] was expected until the day of election’.

In the House, Darling supported Administration over Wilkes and the Middlesex election. There is no record of his having spoken. He died 4 Aug. 1770.