Painter and principal of the Royal College of Art. Born in London, Darwin after Eton College and Cambridge University attended the Slade School of Fine Art. He exhibited at the RA and other main London galleries. After World War II service in the Ministry of Home Security, Darwin was in 1945–6 at the Council of Industrial Design. While there he wrote a report titled The Training of the Industrial Designer, which led to his appointment as head of the Royal College, where he stayed from 1948–71. Darwin’s reforms were considerable. Although he advocated initially that the training of the industrial designer – seen to be essential by the Ministry of Education – meant that easel painting was not a priority, in practice he became an adept promoter of the College’s special contribution to the fine arts.