The Darley Family of Hollyville and Fernhill.
William Frederick Darley born circa 1806 was the son of Alderman Frederick Darley and Elizabeth Guinness.
He married Maria Sanders in 1838. He was a barrister at law and lived 38 Lower Baggot Street before
moving to 96 Leeson Street and became a County Court Judge
His father leased Fernhill in 1812 from Sir William Verner eventually purchasing the property from him for
£3670 under the Land Purchase Act. William was taken to court by the inhabitants of Newtown Little in
1859 for illegally ‘stopping up’ a public road between Fern Hill and Enniskerry by digging a cutting across
the road. He enlarged the gardens at Fernhill and created a broadwalk using giant redwoods. The ‘Fernhill
Silver’ rhododendron was given to him by Glasnevin Botanical gardens as Fernhill was so successful in
growing rhododendron. Maria died 15 Nov 1880 aged 67 at Fernhill and William died at Fernhill on
16 Feb 1898 and both were buried at Mount Jerome.
1 Eliza Darley born 1839, died 1842 and was buried at Mount Jerome.
2 Maria Olivia Darley born 1840 eldest daughter married Edward Miller, youngest son of the late
Rev George Miller 5 Dec 1861 at Kilternan Church. They were married by Rev F A Sanders,
uncle to the bride.
3 Son Darley born 3 Sep 1841 at Baggot Street.
4 Anna Louisa Darley born 27 Nov 1842 at Baggot Street married John Fitzthomas Rutherfoord of
Calcutta India and Mooretown House, Ardee, son of Thomas Rutherfoord at Kilternan Parish
Church on 4 Jan 1865.
5 William Sanders Darley born 3 Sep 1843 at Baggot Street joined the 5th regiment of foot. He served
in India and returned to 96 Leeson Street in 1878. He married Mary Elizabeth Smith at St Georges
in Hanover Square in 1890 and died in London in 1921 without issue.
6 Robert Sanders Darley born 1845 second surviving son lived at the family home at 96 Leeson
Street and was a JP. He was thrown from his horse during a Polo Match at the Phoenix Park against
The Fusiliers. He died a bachelor on 5 Sep 1879 at St Stephens Hospital from his injuries and was
buried at Mount Jerome.
7 Edmund Sanders Darley born circa 1846 married Mabel Elizabeth (May) Trouton, daughter of
Thomas Trouton of 12 St James Terrace, Clonskea at Donnybrook on 3 Dec 1878. Edmund was an
agent working for the Royal Exchange Assurance Company with offices at 5 Westmoreland Street
and lived at Hollyville on Newtownpark Avenue between 1889 and 1898. He was a JP and the
founder of the Foxrock Golf Club and in 1912 the Royal Exchange Assurance company built them a
clubhouse. In 1909 Edmund became a director of the company.
He moved to Fernhill after the death of his father and continued to enhance the garden. He created
a rock garden by diverting a mountain stream to flow through it. In 1908 he won his appeal to have
no labourers cottages built on the demesne of Fernhill. He died at Fernhill on 27 Sep 1912 and was
buried at Kilgobbin graveyard. He left 15K in personal estate. Mabel applied for a interlocutory
injunction against the local residents for trespass in 1930 but it was not granted. The Darleys
claimed they were blocking the route through their grounds for one day only which they did each
year, to stop it becoming a public right of way but locals claimed this had never happened before.
Mabel regularly opened the gardens to the public and in 1934 sold Fernhill to the Walker family.
1 Eva Darley only daughter born 10 Sep 1879 at 96 Lower Leeson Street married Hubert
Maxwell Lenox Conygham, youngest son of Col Sir William Fitzwilliam Lenox Conyngham, of
Spring Hill, Co Derry at Kilternan on 19 Oct 1909. Hubert entered the Army Veterinary Corps
in 1897 and served in the East Africa campaign. Brevet-Lieut Conyngham died at Chester in
March 1918.
8 Frederick Sanders Darley born June 1849 at Fernhill died in 1861 and was buried at Mount Jerome.
©June Bow & Karen Poff – April 2020
William Frederick Darley born circa 1806 was the son of Alderman Frederick Darley and Elizabeth Guinness.
He married Maria Sanders in 1838. He was a barrister at law and lived 38 Lower Baggot Street before
moving to 96 Leeson Street and became a County Court Judge
His father leased Fernhill in 1812 from Sir William Verner eventually purchasing the property from him for
£3670 under the Land Purchase Act. William was taken to court by the inhabitants of Newtown Little in
1859 for illegally ‘stopping up’ a public road between Fern Hill and Enniskerry by digging a cutting across
the road. He enlarged the gardens at Fernhill and created a broadwalk using giant redwoods. The ‘Fernhill
Silver’ rhododendron was given to him by Glasnevin Botanical gardens as Fernhill was so successful in
growing rhododendron. Maria died 15 Nov 1880 aged 67 at Fernhill and William died at Fernhill on
16 Feb 1898 and both were buried at Mount Jerome.
1 Eliza Darley born 1839, died 1842 and was buried at Mount Jerome.
2 Maria Olivia Darley born 1840 eldest daughter married Edward Miller, youngest son of the late
Rev George Miller 5 Dec 1861 at Kilternan Church. They were married by Rev F A Sanders,
uncle to the bride.
3 Son Darley born 3 Sep 1841 at Baggot Street.
4 Anna Louisa Darley born 27 Nov 1842 at Baggot Street married John Fitzthomas Rutherfoord of
Calcutta India and Mooretown House, Ardee, son of Thomas Rutherfoord at Kilternan Parish
Church on 4 Jan 1865.
5 William Sanders Darley born 3 Sep 1843 at Baggot Street joined the 5th regiment of foot. He served
in India and returned to 96 Leeson Street in 1878. He married Mary Elizabeth Smith at St Georges
in Hanover Square in 1890 and died in London in 1921 without issue.
6 Robert Sanders Darley born 1845 second surviving son lived at the family home at 96 Leeson
Street and was a JP. He was thrown from his horse during a Polo Match at the Phoenix Park against
The Fusiliers. He died a bachelor on 5 Sep 1879 at St Stephens Hospital from his injuries and was
buried at Mount Jerome.
7 Edmund Sanders Darley born circa 1846 married Mabel Elizabeth (May) Trouton, daughter of
Thomas Trouton of 12 St James Terrace, Clonskea at Donnybrook on 3 Dec 1878. Edmund was an
agent working for the Royal Exchange Assurance Company with offices at 5 Westmoreland Street
and lived at Hollyville on Newtownpark Avenue between 1889 and 1898. He was a JP and the
founder of the Foxrock Golf Club and in 1912 the Royal Exchange Assurance company built them a
clubhouse. In 1909 Edmund became a director of the company.
He moved to Fernhill after the death of his father and continued to enhance the garden. He created
a rock garden by diverting a mountain stream to flow through it. In 1908 he won his appeal to have
no labourers cottages built on the demesne of Fernhill. He died at Fernhill on 27 Sep 1912 and was
buried at Kilgobbin graveyard. He left 15K in personal estate. Mabel applied for a interlocutory
injunction against the local residents for trespass in 1930 but it was not granted. The Darleys
claimed they were blocking the route through their grounds for one day only which they did each
year, to stop it becoming a public right of way but locals claimed this had never happened before.
Mabel regularly opened the gardens to the public and in 1934 sold Fernhill to the Walker family.
1 Eva Darley only daughter born 10 Sep 1879 at 96 Lower Leeson Street married Hubert
Maxwell Lenox Conygham, youngest son of Col Sir William Fitzwilliam Lenox Conyngham, of
Spring Hill, Co Derry at Kilternan on 19 Oct 1909. Hubert entered the Army Veterinary Corps
in 1897 and served in the East Africa campaign. Brevet-Lieut Conyngham died at Chester in
March 1918.
8 Frederick Sanders Darley born June 1849 at Fernhill died in 1861 and was buried at Mount Jerome.
©June Bow & Karen Poff – April 2020