Sir Peter Drury Haggerston Gadsden (28 June 1929 – 4 December 2006) was a Canadian born British chartered engineer and globe-trotting trader.
[2] Gadsden was Lord Mayor of London in 1979–80 at the age of 50 and was invested as a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE).
[5] He decided to hold a fireworks display on the River Thames as a climax to the Lord Mayor's Show, which has now become a regular feature of the event.
[4] Gadsden was past-chairman and vice-president of the Britain–Australia Society and served as chairman of the Britain-Australia Bicentennial Committee, leading up to the Australian bicentenary in 1988,[6] for which he was awarded an honorary Companion of the Order of Australia, that country's highest civilian honour.
[7] Despite residing in the United Kingdom, Gadsden retained his Canadian citizenship and passport until his death and worked to further closer ties between both countries.