 Darley's father was a member of the Irish bar and according to Bennett, he was described by Lord St Leonards as "not only the best officer in the Court of Chancery in Ireland, but the best officer he had ever come across".Darley was educated at the Royal School Dungannon (sometimes known as "Dungannon College") in County Tyrone, Ireland where he had as a fellow student George Higinbotham was who afterwards to become Chief Justice of Victoria.Darley's uncle, the Reverend John Darley, was headmaster of the college.