J. Paul Getty: The Real Story Behind The Man With All The Money In The World

Getty Became An Expat In England

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In 1959, J. Paul Getty took up permanent residence in England, becoming an expat in Europe since it was conveniently in between his business in the United States and the Middle East. Getty purchased Sutton Place from the Duke of Sutherland for $840,000. Located about 35 miles southwest of London, the 400-year-old mansion had 72 rooms and sat on 700 acres of land that was also home to two swimming pools, tennis courts, a trout stream, and 30 cottages and lodges. Getty famously installed a payphone booth in the mansion specifically for guests — the first instances of his eccentric, penny-pinching ways.