William Henry Robertson Darlington (1866-1943) and Ellen Darlington née Frankland (1874-1949) were married in 1896. Their two sons were Alfred Frankland Dean (1897-1979), and Cyril Dean (1903-1981). After several years as a schoolmaster at Leigh Grammar School, William Darlington and his family moved to Ealing, London, on his appointment as secretary to Dr. Karl Emil Markel (chief chemist of Crosfield Soap Limited). After Markel's death in 1932, he remained as secretary and adviser to his daughter, Vera Murray Morrison, who continued on friendly terms with the Darlington family up to and after the deaths of William and Ellen.

There is correspondence between William and Ellen before and during their marriage, 1893-1941 (MS. Darlington c. 5/A.158-163). The earlier letters are all from him but the later years include more from Ellen (Nellie) during his absences abroad, holidays, periods of ill-health and convalescence, etc. Some of the letters have under-scorings and brief comments by C.D. Darlington.

Cyril Darlington's elder brother, Alfred, served in the First World War and won the Military Cross. He later became a doctor, living and working in Cheltenham. He married Gwendoline Thompson.