John Darling Jr

John Darling Jr. (24 January 1852 – 27 March 1914) was a Scottish born South Australian businessman and politician. He was a member of the South Australian House of Assembly from 1896 to 1905, representing the electorates of East Torrens (1896-1902) and Torrens (1902-1905). He was Leader of the Opposition from 1902 to 1904. After leaving politics, he was chairman of the board of directors of BHP from 1907 to 1914.

Early life and business Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, the eldest son of John Darling Sr., on 24 January 1852, Darling emigrated to South Australia with his parents and brother, arriving in Adelaide early in 1855. He was educated at the Pulteney Street School (later Pulteney Grammar School) and at the age of 14 started work in his father's business.

In 1872 he was brought into partnership in his father's business, renamed John Darling & Son. His father retired in October 1897, leaving him in sole control. Under his control, the company purchased the Eclipse flour mills, Port Adelaide, and the goodwill of J. Dunn and Co. in ???. He founded a hay-compressing business in Gawler, near the railway station. He became a director of BHP in 1892 and was chairman of directors from 1907 to 1914. and served in World War I. His son Leonard Gordon Darling (1921 - 31 August 2015, born in London, England) served in World War II, reaching the rank of captain, became a director of BHP in 1953 and chairman of John Darling & Son in 1963. He was a founding patron of the National Portrait Gallery. 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, when he took ill. His estate was valued at £1,694,500.

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, Western Australia and became the largest landowner in the region, passed to son Arthur. Later lived at 41 Riversdale Road, Hawthorn, Victoria.