A heart-wrenching documentary exploring the real life owners of Emmerdale’s The Woolpack pub has revealed the tragic story of a WWI Tommy writing love letters from the trenches.
Emmerdale 2018, a six part documentary series, is exploring life in Esholt, the original Emmerdale, during World War One, with the help of the modern day cast.
In last night’s episode actress Charlotte Bellamy, who plays vicar’s widow Laurel Thomas in the soap, visits the original town to trace a love story to rival any seen on the show.
She discovers the story of Joshua Booth, the son of The Woolpack pub landlord who went off to France at the tender age of 22 and never returned.
Emmerdale’s Charlotte Bellamy, left, joins Esholt historian Bev Anderson, right, to investigate the story of Joshua Booth
Joshua Booth, aged 22, above, would help his parents, Fred and Mary Ann Booth, run The Woolpack pub in the evenings. The pub, then called the Commercial Inn, would become the original pub in the Emmerdale TV series, which aired in 1974
Joshua Booth, who was aged just 22 at the time, worked as a wool sorter in Bradford, around five miles away from the small village.
In the evenings he would help his parents, Fred and Mary Ann Booth, run The Woolpack, then called The Commercial Inn, by serving at the bar.
The pub was known for its liveliness and was seen as the centre of village life. His cousin Winnie, a local village girl, lived in the pub too.
The pair then fell for each other, but in 1914 war broke out and Joshua enlisted in the Duke of Wellington Regiment, along with more than 50 others.
Actor Charlotte said: ‘The more you hear about the First World War and about how it really affected a community like Esholt, you realise it must have been really strange for them.
Joshua’s father Fred Booth, the landlord, left, pictured with Mrs Mary Ann Booth, the landlady, right, with Winnie to her right, and Violet, the maid
‘That feeling of loss and just not knowing when they were going to return and if they were going to return.’
Winnie said they would keep in touch, and Joshua sent a series of love letters back home from France.
Winnie was shocked to find Joshua was then sent to the Battle of the Somme, the bloodiest battle of World War One, and right at the front of the French front line.
On just the third day, British soldiers had only claimed three miles and were involved in bloody and gruesome hand-to-hand fighting to take Mametz Wood.
Emmerdale’s Charlotte Bellamy, left, joins Adam Wishdish at the British Army Training ground in Catterick, North Yorkshire, where Joshua would have trained before going to fight on the front line
Joshua’s battalion was positioned less than half a mile away from German trenches.
More than 57,000 British soldiers were either dead or seriously wounded in just one day.
Charlotte said: ‘Joshua wanted to have a future with Winnie, marry her, have children together.
‘It’s hard to believe that Joshua was pulling pints a year earlier and then was in a battle which was so hideous’.
By 1917, Joshua had become a corporal within his battalion, and the love letters between him and Winnie intensified. But Winnie’s parents had other ideas.
Winnie, above, opening letters. Joshua was still writing to Winnie in Canada, and addressed her letters to her via her new married name, Mrs Foster
They told Winnie, now in her early 20s, that they had decided to emigrate to Canada, and she had to go with them.
Winnie met another man while living there, and married him instead.
Joshua was still writing to Winnie, and addressed her letters to her via her new married name, Mrs Foster.
Charlotte said: ‘She didn’t wait for him.’
‘That is devastating to Joshua’.
The now decorated soldier won three medals over the course of his military career.
At the Battle of Ypres in Belgium, on December 11 1917, however, his trench was hit by a German shell.
The men from his battalion were killed, including Joshua, aged just 25.
Winnie Foster remained in Canada for the rest of her life, but never forgot about him.
More than a century on, a lady from Canada got in touch with FolkFinders, run by local Esholt historian Bev Anderson.
A Mrs Mary Foster, who lives in Prince Edward Island, Canada, was tracing her family history, and stumbled across the love letters from her great-grandmother’s boyfriend.
Emmerdale cast members Zoe Henry, Charlotte Bellamy, Bhasker Patel, Mark Charnock, John Middleton, and Natalie J Robb in the six part TV series, Emmerdale 1918, which uncovers the untold stories of real Yorkshire men and women during the war
Winnie had kept her letters and gifts, and her great grandaughter had found them after she had died.
Learning about their history, Mary was thrilled.
Earlier this year, Mrs Foster visited Esholt, and The Woolpack where her great Grandmother once lived.
She had brought the letters with her, and said she ‘wanted to bring them home for Joshua’.
The letters are now on display in the real life Emmerdale pub, The Woolpack, in Esholt.
Joshua’s father Fred Booth, right, checking on his chickens and peacocks. In the evenings he would help his parents, Fred and Mary Ann Booth, run The Woolpack, then called The Commercial Inn, by serving at the bar. The pub was known for its liveliness and was seen as the centre of village life
This tragic story with a heartwarming end mirrors the Emmerdale soap, which has been running since 1974.
Emmerdale was filmed on location for more than 20 years before moving onto a set, which is still based on the original town near Bradford.
In the soap, Charlotte’s character Laurel developed feelings for Ashley, but he does not feel the same way.
The couple divorce and she begins a relationship with another man, Marlon.
Charlotte said she was shocked by real-life the soap-style plot twist.
She said: ‘It is very moving and we can never forget what these men did for us.’
Emmerdale is based on the village of Esholt, five miles away from the city of Bradford. The soap has been running since 1974
The original set of The Woolpack pub was filmed inside the building which was once home to Joshua and his cousin Winnie.
But like the soap, there is still an ongoing plot line which remains unsolved.
Joshua’s three medals won during the war are missing.
Historian Bev said: ‘Bringing home Joshua’s medals would be a wonderful end to the story.
‘Joshua was very well known in the village, he played football, he was in the cricket team, he was quite a catch.’
‘We’d love to find out if anyone has Joshua’s medals.’