Memorial Hall Cinema

In Lydbrook, a village in the Forest of Dean, in Gloucestershire, during World War I, a committee was formed to provide items for the welfare of the servicemen 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. In 1920 the committee purchased the building and lands known as ‘The Poplars’, and, on 11th November 1926, the Lydbrook Memorial Hall, Men’s and Women’s Institute was opened by Captain Angus Buchanan, a blind Victoria Cross holder from nearby Coleford. The total cost had been £3,150.

It is not known when film shows were first presented, but the Memorial Hall’s first appearance in the Kinematograph Year Books I have access to was in 1932. Its arrival led to the demise of the Anchor Hall Cinema, which closed down around 1935 (see separate Cinema Treasures entry).

The Memorial Hall Cinema was operated by the Trustees of Lydbrook Memorial Hall. Film shows were on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. There was a movable stage, the proscenium was 12ft wide and there were four dressing rooms. Clearly this was what we would today call a multi-purpose venue. There were originally 450 seats.

A British Acoustic(BA) sound system was installed.

In the 1950’s shows were also being presented on Mondays. By then, the seating capacity had reduced to 400.

In 1954 the operation was taken over by W. L. Rothin. He introduced CinemaScope, utilising a screen measuring 17ft 6ins by 9ft 3ins, and further reduced the seating capacity, to 310.

It is not known when film shows ceased, but the final appearance of the Memorial Hall Cinema in the Kinematograph Year Books was 1961.

Throughout, and to this day, the Memorial Hall has continued to be a centre for a wide range of community activities.

Get Movie Tickets & Showtimes

Want to be emailed when a new comment is posted about this theater?
Just login to your account and subscribe to this theater.