IN 1914 Joshua Booth was living at the Commercial Inn in Esholt, where his father, Fred, was the landlord.

Twenty two-year-old Joshua, the only child of Fred and his wife Mary Ann, worked at Salts Mill and served part-time in the Territorial Army.

When the First World War broke out in 1914 Joshua was one of the first to be called up and joined the Duke of Wellington Regiment. While he was away serving in France, his parents moved to the Devonshire Arms near Bolton Abbey and then to Morecambe.

During the war Joshua wrote regular letters to his cousin, Winnie, who had emigrated to Canada. He also sent her souvenirs from France.

Joshua was killed in action on December 11, 1917, when the trench he was in was hit by a shell. Two other men were killed and two more were wounded. Joshua, who was 25, is buried in the Dochy Farm New British Cemetery in Belgium. He had been awarded three service medals.

This week Winnie’s granddaughter, Mary, visited Esholt from her home in Canada to return Joshua’s memorabilia to his home in the village at the now famous pub, which is called the Woolpack. Tomorrow Mary will unveil a display of the memorabilia at the pub in his memory.

Peter Downey, whose son James is the current landlord of the pub - made famous as Emmerdale’s Woolpack pub when the Yorkshire soap was filmed in Esholt - said: “Joshua’s photograph is displayed in the Village Institute. Mary visited the Woolpack for the first time to return some of Joshua’s things and to see where he lived.

"It was an absolute pleasure to meet Mary. The stories she told us about Joshua and his family were fascinating and the pictures and letters brought it all to life."

Bev Anderson of Folk Finders Family History has put a framed display consisting of a photograph of Joshua in uniform, a photograph of Fred, Mary Ann and their niece, Winnie, outside the Commercial Inn, a letter to Winnie, a Territorial Army record, a war diary entry and medal card, and a photograph of Joshua’s war grave. The frame bears the words: ‘Joshua Booth, the landlord’s son, was killed in action in WWI’.

Other items include a pamphlet from the opening of Esholt War Memorial Institute and a photo of the plaque at Esholt War Memorial Institute bearing the names of 54 men from the village who served in the First World War. Four were killed in action and their names are carved on a stone above the doorway.

The display also includes a ceramic poppy from the display at the Tower of London and a photograph of Mary outside the pub.”

Added Peter: “Seeing pictures of Fred and his wife Mary Ann outside the pub goes to show we are just a small part of its long history.

“We look forward to proudly displaying the memorabilia presented to the Woolpack by Mary which will remind us all of Joshua, who lived here with his family, and the ultimate sacrifice he made for his country.”