Joseph Darby (6 August 1861 – 22 December 1937) was a renowned jumper from the Black Country village of Netherton, in Dudley, Worcestershire.

Highlights in his career included defeating the American World Champion spring-jumper in 1887 and appearing before the future King Edward VII in Covent Garden, London.

In a promotional pamphlet produced by Darby or his agent, the first competitive jump listed is a defeat of T. Hartshorn of Netherton for a £20 wager.

Darby now took a break from competition, working as a collier and unloader of canal boats,[4] only returning to jumping in November 1885 when he defeated W. Fillingham of Wigan, Lancashire for £100 at the Queen's Ground, Barnsley.

[11] On 27 February 1886, Darby took on and beat John Holland of Middleton, the contest taking place at the Moorfield Grounds, Failsworth, near Manchester.

For the third meeting, which took place on 10 March 1888 at the Moorfield Grounds, Manchester, the American was given a 6-inch start for the contest which involved two stand spring forward jumps but he failed three times to match Darby's distance.

[21] Darby's feats led to him being presented with championship belts including one proclaiming him to be champion of the world, which was awarded at the Dudley Fetes in 1889.

[25] Two of his championship belts and other memorabilia are on display at Dudley Museum [26] On 21 April 1888, Darby avenged his previous defeat by Daniel Dearden at a competition held at the Larkhill Grounds, Farnsworth.

[27] On 6 February 1888, Joseph Darby appeared at Bingley Hall, Birmingham as part of a testimonial benefit evening given in honour of the boxer Jem Carney.

[28] On 10 September 1888, Darby appeared in his home village at the Friendly Societies Gala on Netherton Cricket Ground in front of 4,000 people including the local MP, Brooke Robinson.

[29] According to an interview he gave in a French newspaper, Darby's first stage appearance before a paying public took place in October 1888, when he jumped at the Canterbury Music Hall in London again as part of a performance given for the benefit of the boxer, Jem Carney.

It was reported that during his performances at the Royal Aquarium, Darby suffered a serious injury whilst jumping over tables, snapping ligaments above and below the knee.

[40] In 1889, he wrote to the editor of the Sporting Life newspaper, challenging the jumper Jose Parker to a contest for stakes between £50 and £200, with the gate money to be used for the benefit of the Guest Hospital, Dudley.

[52] On 14 June 1891, Darby made a return to competitive jumping, defeating Temple Jones of Bolton at the Belle Vue Gardens, Stockton.

[55] It was at this venue where Darby performed one of his most famous trick jumps: that of clearing a full sized billiard table (minus cushions).

[58] According to an American newspaper: "English athletes are just now flocking to the Empire theater, London, to witness the high and broad jumping feats of Joseph Darby, the champion jumper and holder of the championship belt."

Darby concludes his sensational performance with a leap over a six-foot hurdle lined at the top with a bristling row of spikes.

[60] In January 1893, an Australian newspaper acclaimed Darby with the words: "no athlete can boast of such a brilliant record of achievements in his own particular department as Mr Darby, who for the last eleven years can show an unbroken series of triumphs gained with the utmost ease from those pseudo-champion jumpers of all countries who have considered themselves foemen worthy of his steel.

"[61] The same source stated: "Mr Darby is a married man, thirty-one years of age, and is living at a small village about two miles from Dudley, in Worcestershire, in the same house in which he was born and brought up.

[67] In October and November 1893, Darby was performing with a troupe in the play "The Country Circus" at the Grand Opera House, Brooklyn.

[73] In April 1894, whilst performing at Ohmy's Grand Circus, Longton, Darby issued a challenge for all comers to compete for between £500 and £1000 a-side with a choice of between 1 and 20 jumps.

According to an obituary article, written much later, a special command performance had been arranged before the Prince of Wales by Lord Arthur Somerset at Evans' Rooms, Covent Garden.

A covered brougham was brought from the nearest cab stand, and at the second attempt, amid deafening cheers, Darby was over like a bird.

[87] On 12 November 1898, Darby briefly returned to competitive jumping when he took on Thomas Colquitt of St Helens at the Wellington Grounds, Bury, in front of 2000 spectators.

[89] In August 1899, Darby was reported as appearing at the "Milford Flower Show and Sports", where his performance included jumping over a cab and over 14 chairs.

[90] In July 1900, Darby performed again at the Milford Flower Show, when it was reported that he was unable to do one of his most popular jumps, leaping over a cab, because the vehicle did not arrive in time.

Joseph Darby performed his jumps at a number of venues including sports grounds, circuses and concert halls.

The world (amateur) record for this event when it was still an Olympic sport in the early 20th century was 3.47m (about 11 ft 4 ½ in) achieved on 3 September 1904 by Ray Ewry.

Darby's leap over a full sized billiard table lengthwise in Wolverhampton was mentioned in several editions of the Guinness Book of World Records.

In Victorian times, the legendary character known as 'Spring-heeled Jack' was reportedly spotted at a number of locations in Britain, including the Black Country.