AT the first meeting of the year, held at Feckenham Village Hall, the society was treated to a fascinating talk by Barbara Middlemass on the history of the 'Salt King' John Corbett and the Chateau Impney.

Present day visitors cannot fail to be impressed by the magnificent French chateau situated on the edge of Droitwich, yet its creator, John Corbett had started life in very impoverished circumstances.

The son of a Brierley Hill family who ran canal boats, he had little education and apprenticed as an engineer.

Working in Bromsgrove, he became involved with the salt works and brine wells at Stoke Prior. Water was seeping into the wells and diluting the salt, causing the downfall of the companies and a Bromsgrove bank. The word across Europe was 'shun the wells of Stoke as you would shun sin'.

Nevertheless, Corbett borrowed £70,000 and bought the works and solved the problems, re-creating work for local people. He became a very rich man, politician and benefactor.

He travelled widely and during a trip to Paris in 1855, he met his future wife. The daughter of an English diplomat living in Paris, she was genteel and well educated, in stark contrast to John Corbett's rough Black Country manner.

Although his wife was accepted into the homes of gentry, Corbett was not. This drove him to buy the Impney estate and manorial rights for £27,200. Work finally began in 1873.

He built the brine baths, aware of their healing properties, and encouraged visitors to the town.

His wife and family lived in the chateau for three years, then distressed by the dirt and smoke of Droitwich, moved to their estate in Towyn, Wales.

He and his wife eventually separated and on April 22, 1901, fragile and lonely, John Corbett died of a brain haemorrhage.

He bequeathed the sum of £800,000 - equivalent to £65 million today - to his brother, causing a bitter family dispute.

The next meeting will be on Thursday, February 8, at Webheath Village Hall, when Mike Kettle will speak on 'Canals of the Midlands'. Non members welcome.