Norman Butler (polo)
{{short description|American polo player and horse breeder}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Norman Butler
| image = File:Norman Butler, Kilboy Estate.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Norman Butler, Kilboy Estate
| birth_date = {{birth date|1918|12|02}}
| birth_place =
| death_date = {{death date and age|2011|10|08|1918|12|02}}
| death_place =
| education = Oriel College, Oxford
| occupation = Polo player, horse breeder
| father = Paul Butler
| spouse = {{plainlist|
- {{marriage|Pauline Winn|1948|1958|end=div.}}
- {{marriage|Penelope Dewar|1959|1977|end=div.}}
- {{marriage|Gabriella Gröger|1981}}
}}
| children = 6
| module = {{Infobox military person
| embed = yes
| allegiance = United States
| branch = Navy
| unit = Squadron VB-107
| rank = Lieutenant
| battles = World War II
| awards = Air Medal, Bronze Star and Presidential Unit Citation
}}
}}
Norman Frank Paul Butler (December 2, 1918 – October 8, 2011) was an American polo player and thoroughbred breeder.
Early life and education
Norman Frank Paul Butler was born to Paul Butler{{Cite news|author= |date=1981-06-26 |title=Paul Butler Dead at 89; Top Aviation Executive |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1981/06/26/obituaries/paul-butler-dead-at-89-top-aviation-executive.html |access-date=2023-03-29 |issn=0362-4331}}{{cite web|url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1981/06/25/Paul-Butler-founder-of-Butler-Aviation-the-nations/3859362289600/|title=Paul Butler -- founder of Butler Aviation, the nation's...|date=1981-06-25|publisher=UPI}} and Sarah Anne Josephine (née Rooney).Who's Who, What's What and Where in Ireland, Zircon Publishing, 1973, p. 45{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2016-02-28 |title=The Butlers of Oak Brook, Two {{!}} Classic Chicago Magazine |url=https://classicchicagomagazine.com/the-butlers-of-oak-brook-two/ |access-date=2024-08-14 |website=classicchicagomagazine.com |language=en-US}}
He was raised in England, France and Italy, and attended Hodder Place, Downside School and Stonyhurst College in Lancashire, England. He later studied Modern Greats at Oriel College, Oxford University.{{cite web|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9802EFD91F3AF932A25753C1A9679D8B63|title=BUTLER, NORMAN FRANK|date=2011-10-11|website=New York Times|access-date=16 January 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://www.rte.ie/archives/2020/0601/1138390-us-citizens-board-liner-in-galway/|title=President Roosevelt Sets Sail For US 1940|date=2020-06-01|publisher=RTE}}
During WW2 he served as a Lieutenant (USNR) with Squadron VB-107, which was based in Natal, Brazil and Ascension Island.{{cite web|url=https://www.vpnavy.com/vp107_1940.html|title=VP-107 History|publisher=VP Navy}} He was decorated three times, with the Air Medal, Bronze Star and Presidential Unit Citation.
Career
From 1948 until 1960 he worked for Butler Paper and Butler Aviation, and founded Butler S.A. (South America).{{cite web|url=https://www.classicchicagomagazine.com/the-butlers-of-oak-brook-six/|title=The Butlers of Oak Brook, Six|first=Kay|last=Whitfield|date=27 March 2016|website=Classic Chicago Magazine|access-date=16 January 2019}} It was also during this time that he played polo in England, Argentina and the United States, notably on teams including Maharaj Prem Singh, Cecil Smith , Rao Raja Hanut Singh, Winston Frederick Churchill Guest and Freddie Guest, as well as playing opposite Prince Philip at Cowdray Park.
In 1960 he bought Kilboy House in County Tipperary, Ireland.{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/huge-blaze-at-home-of-airline-founders-son-but-extensive-art-collection-saved-25993481.html|title=Huge blaze at home of airline founder's son but extensive art collection saved|author=|date=5 March 2005|website=Independent.ie|access-date=16 January 2019}} 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 and Wally Swinburn. Other notable horses included Pabui (winner of the 1974 Criterium di Roma at Capanelle) and Kilboy. His horses raced in Ireland, England, Italy and France. He also worked with Vincent O'Brien and John Magnier among others.{{cite web|url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/KEVIN+PRENDERGAST+Three+of+the+best.-a0238001918|title=KEVIN PRENDERGAST Three of the best|author=|date=|website=thefreelibrary.com|access-date=16 January 2019}} He later sold Kilboy House to Tony Ryan, founder of Ryanair.{{Cite web |date=2005-03-05 |title=Huge blaze at home of airline founder's son but extensive art collection saved |url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/huge-blaze-at-home-of-airline-founders-son-but-extensive-art-collection-saved/25993481.html |access-date=2024-08-14 |website=Irish Independent |language=en}}
He was a member of Buck's Club and a life member of the Corviglia Club.{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Re8pAQAAMAAJ&q=norman+butler+kilboy+clubs | isbn=978-0-225-65887-3 | title=Who's Who, What's what and where in Ireland | date=1973 | publisher=Geoffrey Chapman Publishers }}
==Personal life==
In 1948 he married Pauline Winn, daughter of Lady Baillie and the Hon. Charles John Frederick Winn (son of Rowland Winn, 2nd Baron St Oswald), of Leeds Castle in Kent.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1984/11/16/arts/auctions-the-cave-collection.html|title=AUCTIONS; The Cave collection.|first=Rita|last=Rief|work=The New York Times |date=16 November 1984|publisher=|access-date=16 January 2019|via=NYTimes.com}} They had two children together, Sandra (b.1949) and Paget (b.1953).{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1972/02/20/archives/sandra-butler-and-t-j-heise-plan-nuptials-april-8-on-li.html|title=Sandra Butler and T. J. Heise Plan Nuptials April 8 on L.I.|newspaper=New York Times|date=1972-02-20|page=73}}{{Cite web |title=Marjorie Childress Obituary (2003) - West Palm Beach, FL - The Palm Beach Post |url=https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/palmbeachpost/name/marjorie-childress-obituary?id=27529349 |access-date=2024-08-14 |website=Legacy.com}}{{Cite web |title=Thanksgiving Service |url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/thanksgiving-service-clvf37pzf7s |access-date=2024-08-14}} They divorced in 1958.
In 1959 he married his second wife, the Hon. Penelope Dewar, daughter of Lord Forteviot, owner of Dewar Whiskies in Scotland.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=23woAAAAIBAJ&sjid=9skEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4097,1855352&dq=norman+butler+oak+brook&hl=en|title=Marriage plans still secret|newspaper=Daytona Beach Morning Journal|date=1959-06-12|access-date=16 January 2019}}{{cite news|url=http://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1959/12/15/80566935.html|title=Miss Dewar Bride Of Norman Butler|work=The New York Times |date=1959-06-12|access-date=16 January 2019}} They had three children together, Paul (b.1960), Tiggy (b.1961) and Sean (b.1963). They divorced in 1977.
In 1981 he married his third wife Baroness Gabriella Gröger von Sontag, fashion editor of German Vogue, daughter of a German banker and Director of the Dresdner Bank. They had one son together, Patrick (b. 1986).{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune-obituary-for-frank-osgoo/54496636/|title=Butler II, Frank Osgood|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|location=Chicago, Illinois, USA|date=2014-08-31|page=28|via=newspapers.com}}