He was called to the English bar at the King's Inn in January 1853 but returned to Ireland and practised there for about nine years on the Munster circuit.

Lucy was the sister of novelist Rolf Boldrewood (Thomas Alexander Browne) who is best known for the book Robbery under arms.

One of their daughters Frederica Silvia Darley married firstly Sir Windham Robert Carmichael-Anstruther 9th Bt, and secondly the Hon.

[4] Biographer Percival Serle states that Darley had established a good practice, and that for the twenty years preceding his elevation to the bench, there was hardly an important case at Sydney in which he did not appear on one side or the other.

[5] In November 1886 Darley was offered the position of Chief Justice of New South Wales in succession to Sir James Martin.

Sir Samuel Way, Chief Justice of South Australia, spoke of him "as in many respects the noblest figure we have ever had on the Australian bench".

[5] On the retirement of Sir Alfred Stephen in November 1891, Darley was appointed Lieutenant-Governor of New South Wales,[8] and he administered the government seven times in that capacity.

[16] Darley lived at Quambi, Albert Street, Woollahra and had a mountain retreat "Lilianfels" in Katoomba.