DARLING, William, Canadian merchant, born in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1819; died in Montreal, 1 November 1885. He arrived in Canada in 1840, and, taking up his residence in Montreal, established an iron and hardware business, which ultimately became the wholesale firm of William Darling & Co. He actively promoted the commercial welfare of that City, and was for some years president of its board of trade, and also vice-president of the Dominion board of trade. He was largely instrumental in framing the insolvent act of 1875. During the Mackenzie administration he was appointed arbitrator on the Lachine canal claims, an office in which he was continued by Sir John A. Macdonald. He was a director of the Merchant's bank, and chairman of the Temporalities board of the Presbyterian Church of Canada. In 1878 he was a candidate for a seat in the Dominion parliament, in the liberal interest, but was defeated.