Norman Butler (December 2, 1918 – October 8, 2011) was an American international polo player, raised and educated in England and Europe, and who lived most of his life in Europe. He served as a U.S. Navy Lieutenant during WW2, and worked for the Butler family companies after the war. He was also a thoroughbred race horse owner and breeder in Europe, where he won several classic races including the Irish 1,000 Guineas, Pretty Polly Stakes and Irish St. Leger.
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Early life, education and career
Norman Frank Paul Butler was born in New York City on December 2, 1918. His family arrived in New England in the early 17th century. They became the first suppliers of paper to the United States Congress, and later founded Butler Paper and Butler Aviation. He was the eldest son from the first marriage of industrialist Paul Butler and Sarah Anne Josephine Rooney, who resided in Paris and Monte-Carlo following their divorce in 1924.
Butler was raised in England, France and Italy, and attended Hodder Place, Downside School and Stonyhurst College in Lancashire, England. He studied Modern Greats at Oriel College, Oxford University. He excelled as a sportsman at boarding school and Oxford, in particular at rugby, athletics and swimming.
During WW2 he served as a Lieutenant (USNR) bomber pilot with Squadron VB-107, which was based in Natal, Brazil and Ascension Island. He was decorated three times, with the Air Medal, Bronze Star Medal and Presidential Unit Citation.
From 1948 until 1960 he worked in England as a Director for the Butler family companies, and founded Butler S.A. (South America).
Polo and horse racing
Butler played polo internationally in England, Argentina and the United States, notably on teams including Maharaj Prem Singh, Cecil Smith, Rao Raja Hanut Singh, Winston Frederick Churchill Guest, Freddie Guest and Lord Brecknock, as well as playing opposite Prince Philip at Cowdray Park and Guards Polo Club.
In 1962 he bought Kilboy House in County Tipperary, Ireland from the Dunalley family as a winter home and base for his thoroughbred stables. He also owned Athgarvan Lodge, in County Kildare, which had been used by George IV, and which he bought for a then record £490,000 for a stud farm in Ireland. As a thoroughbred breeder in 1972 he won the classic Irish 1,000 Guineas and the Irish St. Leger as well as the Pretty Polly Stakes with his horse Pidget, trained by Kevin Prendergast and ridden by the jockeys T. P. Burns, Bill Williamson and Wally Swinburn. His racing colours were light blue with dark blue spots on the cap.
Other notable horses included Pabui (winner of the 1974 Criterium di Roma at Capanelle) and Kilboy. He purchased several horses from the Aga Khan IV, including Emali. His horses raced in Ireland, England, Italy and France. He also worked with Vincent O'Brien and John Magnier among others. He later sold Kilboy House to Tony Ryan, founder of Ryanair.
Personal life
In 1948 he married Pauline Katharine Winn (1920-1974) at Caxton Hall, Westminster, daughter of Olive, Lady Baillie and the Hon. Charles John Frederick Winn (son of Rowland Winn, 2nd Baron St Oswald), of Leeds Castle in Kent. Pauline was a member of the Whitney and Paget families. They divorced in 1958. They had two children together, Sandra (born 1949) and Paget (born 1953).
In 1959 he married in Perth, Scotland his second wife, the Hon. Penelope Dewar (1935-2023), daughter of Lord Forteviot, owner of Dewar Whiskies in Scotland. The wedding reception was held at Dupplin Castle. They divorced in 1977. They had three children together, Paul (1960 - 1988), Tiggy (born 1961) and Sean (born 1963).
In 1981 he married at Kensington and Chelsea Register Office his third wife Baroness Gabriella Gröger von Sontag (1945-2012), fashion editor of German Vogue, daughter of a German banker and Director of the Dresdner Bank. They had one son together, Patrick (born 1986).
Butler died on October 8, 2011, at the age of 92 in Beverly Hills, California.