Peter Cadbury
Encyclopedia
Peter Egbert Cadbury was a British entrepreneur.
He was the son of Sir Egbert Cadbury
, a World War I
flying ace and managing director of Cadbury Brothers
, the chocolate enterprise. He was educated at Leighton Park School
, a Quaker school founded by his grandfather, George Cadbury
and at Trinity College
, Cambridge.
Cadbury never worked in the family business. He followed his father into flying, with an early career as a test pilot
for jet fighters, then qualified as a barrister
, playing a minor role in the Nurenburg War Crimes trials, before deciding his future did not lie in law. Borrowing £75,000 from his father, Cadbury purchased the Keith Prowse
theatre booking agency.
After this, he was involved as a company director in the establishment of Tyne Tees Television
and led the consortium responsible for Westward Television
, the first ITV
franchise holder for the south-west of England
, becoming its Executive Director. He also owned his own airline and travel business.
Cadbury was known for his frequent rows with neighbours, the press, fellow club members and liverymen (he was a Currier
), as well as even with his own board of directors. He was more than once involved in fistfights on roads over his driving. He owned an Aston Martin V8 Vantage, a Ferrari, a Bentley, numerous yachts, racehorses, properties in the West Indies, and a succession of grand country mansions, one of which had an airstrip and a hangar for five aircraft. As a result of his ongoing conflict with the IBA
— the then-regulator of ITV — Westward lost the round of franchise renewals in 1980, and were replaced by TSW
.
Cadbury was an animal lover who kept a parrot, a great Dane, and a Rwandan gorilla.
He was married three times. The first time was to Benedicta Bruce in 1947 (with legendary Spitfire
pilot Douglas Bader
as best man), with whom he had a son and a daughter; the marriage ended in divorce in 1968. He married again in 1970 to Mrs. Jennifer Morgan-Jones, who was 27 years younger than he, and with whom he had another son (Joel Cadbury
, one time owner of the Groucho Club
), before they divorced in 1976. In that same year, he married a third time, to Mrs. Jane Mead, with whom he had two more sons.
Cadbury died on April 17, 2006, at the age of 88.
He was the son of Sir Egbert Cadbury
Egbert Cadbury
Air Commodore Sir Egbert Cadbury DSC, DFC was a First World War pilot who shot down two Zeppelins over the North Sea: L21 on 28 November 1916, and L70 on 6 August 1918: the latter while flying a De Havilland DH.4 with Robert Leckie as Observer/Gunner.The son of George Cadbury and Dame Elizabeth...
, a World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
flying ace and managing director of Cadbury Brothers
Cadbury Schweppes
Cadbury is a confectionery company owned by Kraft Foods and is the industry's second-largest globally after Mars, Incorporated. Headquartered in Uxbridge, London, United Kingdom, the company operates in more than 50 countries worldwide....
, the chocolate enterprise. He was educated at Leighton Park School
Leighton Park School
Leighton Park School is a co-educational Quaker independent school for both day and boarding pupils. It is situated in the large town of Reading in Berkshire, in South East England...
, a Quaker school founded by his grandfather, George Cadbury
George Cadbury
George Cadbury was the third son of John Cadbury, a Quaker who founded Cadbury's cocoa and chocolate company.-Background:...
and at Trinity College
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
, Cambridge.
Cadbury never worked in the family business. He followed his father into flying, with an early career as a test pilot
Test pilot
A test pilot is an aviator who flies new and modified aircraft in specific maneuvers, known as flight test techniques or FTTs, allowing the results to be measured and the design to be evaluated....
for jet fighters, then qualified as a barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
, playing a minor role in the Nurenburg War Crimes trials, before deciding his future did not lie in law. Borrowing £75,000 from his father, Cadbury purchased the Keith Prowse
Keith Prowse
Keith Prowse is a trading name currently used by two separate companies. Within the United Kingdom it is used by the Sport, Leisure and Hospitality Division of Compass Group Plc , the company operates at numerous prestigious venues for many of the world's most iconic sporting and cultural events...
theatre booking agency.
After this, he was involved as a company director in the establishment of Tyne Tees Television
Tyne Tees Television
Tyne Tees Television is the ITV television franchise for North East England and parts of North Yorkshire. As of 2009, it forms part of a non-franchise ITV Tyne Tees & Border region, shared with the ITV Border region...
and led the consortium responsible for Westward Television
Westward Television
Westward Television was the first ITV franchise holder for the South West of England from 29 April 1961 until 31 December 1981. After a difficult start, Westward provided a popular, distinctive and highly regarded service to its region, until public boardroom squabbles led to its franchise not...
, the first ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
franchise holder for the south-west of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, becoming its Executive Director. He also owned his own airline and travel business.
Cadbury was known for his frequent rows with neighbours, the press, fellow club members and liverymen (he was a Currier
Worshipful Company of Curriers
The Worshipful Company of Curriers is one of the Livery Companies of the City of London. The Curriers, or curers of leather, first formed an organisation in 1272. This organisation became a Company under a Royal Charter of incorporation in 1605...
), as well as even with his own board of directors. He was more than once involved in fistfights on roads over his driving. He owned an Aston Martin V8 Vantage, a Ferrari, a Bentley, numerous yachts, racehorses, properties in the West Indies, and a succession of grand country mansions, one of which had an airstrip and a hangar for five aircraft. As a result of his ongoing conflict with the IBA
Independent Broadcasting Authority
The Independent Broadcasting Authority was the regulatory body in the United Kingdom for commercial television - and commercial/independent radio broadcasts...
— the then-regulator of ITV — Westward lost the round of franchise renewals in 1980, and were replaced by TSW
Television South West
Television South West was the ITV franchise holder for the South West England region from 1 January 1982 until 31 December 1992, broadcasting from the former Westward Television studios in Plymouth, Devon.-Origins and Launch:...
.
Cadbury was an animal lover who kept a parrot, a great Dane, and a Rwandan gorilla.
He was married three times. The first time was to Benedicta Bruce in 1947 (with legendary Spitfire
Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
pilot Douglas Bader
Douglas Bader
Group Captain Sir Douglas Robert Steuart Bader CBE, DSO & Bar, DFC & Bar, FRAeS, DL was a Royal Air Force fighter ace during the Second World War. He was credited with 20 aerial victories, four shared victories, six probables, one shared probable and 11 enemy aircraft damaged.Bader joined the...
as best man), with whom he had a son and a daughter; the marriage ended in divorce in 1968. He married again in 1970 to Mrs. Jennifer Morgan-Jones, who was 27 years younger than he, and with whom he had another son (Joel Cadbury
Joel Cadbury
Joel Cadbury is an English Entrepreneur & Philanthropist, the son of Peter Cadbury and Jennifer d'Abo , and heir to the Cadbury chocolate dynasty.Joel Cadbury is best known as Founder & Chief Executive of Longshot Limited and alongside his partner,...
, one time owner of the Groucho Club
Groucho Club
The Groucho Club is a well-known private social club located at Dean Street in Soho, London. Its members are mostly drawn from the media, entertainment, arts and fashion industries....
), before they divorced in 1976. In that same year, he married a third time, to Mrs. Jane Mead, with whom he had two more sons.
Cadbury died on April 17, 2006, at the age of 88.
External links
- Obituary in The IndependentThe IndependentThe Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
- Obituary in The Daily TelegraphThe Daily TelegraphThe Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
, retrieved 18 April 2006