During the 1914-18 War a Committee was formed to provide items for the welfare of
the service men on leave. After the War the Committee was left with £100. The
Committee and the Men's Institute (founded in 1892) formed a General Committee
and proposed the building of a Memorial Hall. Public subscriptions were sought, and
a grant from the United Services Fund of 88 was obtained. The Women's Institute
had an original aim of erecting their, own headquarters but joined in with the
Memorial Hall Committee providing from their own funds £100. In 1920 the
Committee purchased the building and lands known as 'The Poplars' and on the 11th
November 1926 the Lydbrook Memorial Hall, Men's and Women's Institute came into
being at a cost of £3,150 opened by the blind VC of Coleford, Captain Angus
Buchanan.