Effingham changed dramatically after 1920. Untouched areas were opened up for development and its grand houses were adapted for the roles they still serve today.

Alongside an influx of the well-to-do came many fascinating artists and entertainers. In this Exhibition you will meet celebrities of stage and screen like Teddie Gerard, Gwen Farrar and Yvonne Arnaud, who all lived in Effingham during this time. You will also discover how the village became the location for radical experiments like The Daily Mirror’s “Seven Souls in Search of Sanctuary” and how John Sargrove and his Primitive Methodists tested advanced technology in the old village hall.

This Exhibition was presented as part of Heritage Open Days 2020. Its title arises from a comment by Lena Bridger, an Effingham resident who witnessed the antics of these celebrities, and is an acute observation on a period of great upheaval in the village.