Jocelyn Cadbury was born in
Birmingham in 1946, the son of Laurence Cadbury and Joyce (), and the younger brother of
Adrian Cadbury and
Dominic Cadbury. He was educated at
Eton College and at
Trinity College, Cambridge, where he graduated with a degree in Economics and Anthropology. Alongside his studies, he was a keen rower. In 1970, he began working as an industrial relations officer at
Lucas Industries in Birmingham. From 1974, he worked for
Cadbury, firstly as a foreman doing shift work on the production line at the
Somerdale Factory in
Keynsham, and then as a production manager at
Bournville. ==Political career==