Sir Milo Boughton Butler (11 August 190622 January 1979) was a Bahamian politician who served as the second governor-general of the Bahamas from 1973 to 1979. He died in office, aged 72.
Early life and family
Butler was born in Nassau, The Bahamas on 11 August 1905 to George Raleigh Butler and his wife Frances. He attended the George Washington School in Florida, the public school at Rum Cay, and the Boys' Central School in Nassau. At age 17, Butler began his own grocery business. On 14 October 1928, Butler married Caroline Loretta Watson. They had seven sons and three daughters. The following year, Butler was elected to parliament following a by-election in the same constituency, relinquishing the office in 1947.
In 1956, after the government imposed a 12-minute limit on parliamentary speeches, Butler threw the Speaker's hourglass out of the window at the House of Assembly. He returned as a member of parliament for the Western District the same year, serving for a decade. From 1967 to 1973, he represented Bain Town.
On 14 November 1991, his son Milo Butler Jr. became Speaker of Parliament.
Recognition
In June 1972, Butler was honoured as a National Hero of the Bahamas following a Special Resolution by the Honourable House of Assembly. In 1973, he was appointed as a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George (GCMG) by Queen Elizabeth II. In February 1975, following the Queen's visit to Nassau, he was made a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO). A bronze statue of Butler designed by Bahamian sculptor Randolph Johnson was unveiled on 22 January 1986 at Rawson Square in downtown Nassau.