Egbert Cadbury

Who was Egbert Cadbury?

Air Commodore Sir Egbert Cadbury DSC, DFC was a First World War pilot who shot down two Zeppelins over the North Sea: L 21 on 28 November 1916, and L 70 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 Cadbury he was educated at Leighton Park School and Trinity College, Cambridge. He went on to become managing director of Cadbury Brothers Ltd, the predecessor of Cadbury Schweppes.

After the First World War Cadbury Brothers Ltd undertook a financial merger with J. S. Fry & Sons and Egbert Cadbury joined the Fry side of the business. Along with Cecil Roderick Fry he was instrumental in the relocation and of the Bristol operations of Fry from Union Street to Somerdale Garden City. This transfer took eleven years and production was gradually transferred as the modern blocks were erected. It was finally completed in 1935. At its height the Somerdale workforce was in excess of 5,000. Sir Egbert retired from Cadbury in 1963 and died in 1967.

His eldest son Peter Cadbury was a successful businessman, setting up Westward Television in England.