THE animosity felt towards his estranged wife by Droitwich's legendary "Salt King" John Corbett right up until his death was fully exposed with the publication of his will this week exactly a century ago.

John Corbett made a fortune as owner of the Salt Works at Stoke Prior and became a leading Victorian philanthropist, known nation-wide as the "Salt King."

He gave money for the building of hospitals, schools, gardens, clubrooms and workers' housing.

He paid for the construction of the Salters Hall in the centre of Droitwich and provided the funds to build the St Andrew's Brine Baths to boost the Spa's heydays as a health resort.

But while John Corbett was fortunate in finances, he was not lucky in love. At 39, he married a French born girl named Anna and brought her to this country, but she soon pined for her beloved France.

In a lavish bid to overcome her homesickness, John Corbett had a magnificent mansion built in the regal French style and set in 120 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds. We know it still as the Chateau Impney, Droitwich, but it proved to be a forlorn and fruitless gesture on the part of the "Salt King".

His wife Anna refused to live in the chateau when it was completed and went to live "in exile" in Wales with some of the couple's six children.

John Corbett died at the Chateau Impney in 1901 at the age of 84.

In this week of 1902, the Journal published his will which involved money and property to the gross value then of £768,800.

"Owing to the opposition to the will which was offered by the family last July, probate was not granted until last Thursday.

"The will is remarkable for the fact that the wife is ignored altogether, the testator curtly stating: 'Whereas my wife is already provided for, I do not intend to make any further provision for her in my will.'

"The remark 'provided for' evidently refers to the settlement made upon his wife some years ago."

John Corbett left gifts of £1,000 each to his main employees, bequests to hospitals such as the Worcester Royal Infirmary, and generous annuities to his sons and daughters, though with one very significant stipulation:

"In the event of any child of mine marrying a descendant of any brother or sister of my wife, the annuities herein bequeathed to such child and his or her issue cease forthwith."