Page:The Dictionary of Australasian Biography.djvu/135

 April 2nd, 1858. Sir Ralph Darling married Elizabeth, second daughter of Colonel John Dumaresque, and sister of Lieut.-Colonel Henry Dumaresque, Chief Commissioner of the Australian Agricultural Company in New South Wales.

DarrelDarrell [sic], George, Australian actor, dramatist and manager, began his professional career with Simonson's Opera Company in New Zealand; but, on migrating to Melbourne, took to the regular dramatic profession, earning some distinction as a juvenile supporter of the once idolised Walter Montgomery. He married Mrs. Robert Hair (née Fanny Cathcart), the admirable tragédienne, and subsequently visited professionally America and England, where, at the Grand Theatre, Islington, he produced his play The Sunny South. Mr. Darrel is the author of a number of Australian melodramas, including The Struggle for Freedom, Transported for Life, Book from the Grave, The Forlorn Hope, The Sunny South, The Squatter, The Soggarth, etc., and at least half a dozen dramatisations of popular novels. Mr. Darrel's first wife died some years ago at Melbourne, where she was held in great esteem; and he has since married a young actress belonging to one of his New Zealand companies, who has appeared in many of his more recent productions.

Darvall, Hon. Sir John Bayley, K.C.M.G., Q.C., M.A., was the second son of Captain E. Darvall of the 9th Dragoons, and was born at Nunnington Hall, Yorkshire, and educated at Eton and Trinity College, Cambridge, where he graduated in 1833, and was admitted to the degree of M.A. in 1837. He was called to the bar at the Middle Temple in 1838, and a year later went to New South Wales, where he practised at the bar till 1867, being made Q.C. in 1853. He was appointed a nominee member of the Legislative Council of New South Wales in 1844, and in 1848 was elected for Bathurst. He joined in the opposition to the measure conferring responsible government on New South Wales, owing to disapproval of 's scheme for a non-elective Upper House. In 1861 he was appointed a life member of the Legislative Council, but resigned his seat, and subsequently represented the electoral districts of West Maitland and Sydney in the Legislative Assembly. In April 1856 he was appointed a member of the Executive Council as one of the first responsible ministry, but did not assume office as Solicitor-General till the following June, and resigned with his colleagues in August. He was Solicitor-General in the Ministry from Oct. 1856 to May 1857, and Attorney-General from May to Sept. 1857. He held the same post under Mr. (afterwards Sir) from August to Oct. 1863, and from Feb. to June 1865. In 1850 Sir John Darvall was appointed a member of the first Senate of the University of Sydney, and in the next year refused a judgeship in Victoria. He was a strenuous opponent of the separation of Queensland from New South Wales in 1859-60. In 1867 he returned to England, and was created C.M.G. in 1869 and K.C.M.G. in 1877. He died in London on Dec. 28th, 1883.

Davenport, Sir Samuel, K.C.M.G., LL.D., J.P., fourth son of George Davenport, banker, Oxford, and of Great Wigston, co. Leicester, by Jane Devereux, his wife, daughter of Joseph Davies, of Mineweare, co. Pembroke, was born at Shirburn, Oxfordshire, on March 5th, 1818, and came to South Australia in 1842, whither his elder brother, George Francis Davenport, had preceded him. He was appointed one of the four nominee members of the Legislative Council on May 5th, 1846, and was a nominated non-official member of the enlarged Legislative Council when the Constitution Act was passed (Jan. 2nd, 1856), but resigned on August 19th, 1856. He was an elected member of the new Council from March 9th, 1857, to August 30th, 1866, when he resigned. Sir Samuel was Commissioner of Public Works in the first ministry formed after the concession of responsible government, and acted as its representative in the Legislative Council from March 20th, 1857, to August 21st in the same year. He resumed office as Commissioner of Public Works in Mr. (afterwards Sir) ' Ministry, Sept. 1st to Sept. 30th, 1857. He was Executive Commissioner for South Australia at the International Exhibitions held in London in 1851, Philadelphia in 1876, Sydney in 1879, Melbourne in 1880. He was knighted in 1884, and was President of the South Australian Commission to the Colonial 119