Brings you Part 1 - Interview with Wyatt (Ged Parker) Video on their own Homepage.
FOR most, the Wild West conjures up images of cowboys and Indians with six-shooters and teepees, childhood games and the drawl of John Wayne and Clint Eastwood.
But for Hartlepool man Gerald Parker it is a way of life as he helps run a re-enactment group devoted to life on the prairie. His posse of fellow actors are going ahead all guns blazing after picking up a lottery grant which they plan to use to build their very own Western town. MARK THOMPSON met the man eager to bring the Wild West to the North East.
IT'S a part of history which has captured every little boy's imagination. Gerald Parker loves nothing more than re-living the era. The 42-year-old looks every bit the old American townsman in his authentic 19th Century outfit that sees him packing a six-shooter and rifle. But there is no "howdy y'all" or "yeehahs" on meeting him as he steers clear of the cowboy stereotypes. "I want to build a true-to-life American town to show people what the Wild West was really like," he said. He is secretary of the Wild West Legends Living History and Re-Enactment Group which aims to give a detailed account of the life of those living on the prairie. "I fell in love with the time period seven years ago and I haven't looked back since. It has become a big part of my life," said Gerald. He has spent more than £4,000 on historically accurate clothing and equipment shipped in from the USA. "Now I want to help expand things further as we plan to build a small town near Dalton Piercy." The 28-member strong group has recently been given an £8,175 grant from the Big Lottery Fund which they plan to put towards the development that could see groups, such as schools, invited to visit for a hands-on history lesson. They have four acres of old farm land between Dalton Piercy and Trimdon, where the group currently keeps its three trained horses, which will be the site of their mini-town with a barbers, general dealers and bar. Gerald, from the Rossmere area of Hartlepool, said: "The Wild West was a great time with so much history that lots of people are interested in. We have fallen in love with it. "We try and be as authentic as possible and live the life of a person living back then. We do everything they do from cooking to gun fights to horse riding. "This grant means we can do even more. We are making a small town and we want to be able to invite groups down and show them how Americans used to live in the 1800s." The group currently meets up monthly and recreates scenes and shoot-outs from films such as Kevin Costner's Open Range. They also try and live like Americans in the 1800s with traditional foods like chilli and Dutch oven cooked bread. Authentic tents are used to keep up the realistic image. Members also visit Wild West festivals across the country. "We are all about detail and getting things as near as possible," said Gerald. "It is not about playing with guns like some groups do. The gun is seen as a tool which cowboys used to hunt and to protect themselves. "The same can be said for knives, they are vital to how these people lived but they are a tool and it would be good to show children how these people really lived." Gerald began his fascination with all things from the plains of the USA after he visited the Great North Country Western Festival at Witton Castle, in County Durham,in July 2002. He went along because his wife, Bev, 43, knew the organiser and they both fell in love with the way of life. Gerald is a carer for Bev as she uses a wheelchair because she suffers from brittle bones. He said: "I bought my first cowboy hat and saw all the historical stuff and decided I really wanted to get into it and Bev was just as keen." After that, he and Bev began researching the time period and began meeting like-minded people before setting up their group in October 2007. Gerald said: "It is a fairly expensive hobby but we have met so many great people and we really enjoy it. "If we see something we want we usually buy it and if we don't have the money we save up for it." The group are looking for companies to sponsor their town. For more information about the group or to join ring Gerald on 07582 799125 or visit their website at www.wild-west-legends.com.
A WILD West re-enactment group is going great guns after picking up an £8,000 lottery grant.
The Hartlepool-based Wild West Legends Living History and Re-Enactment Group has been given an £8,175 grant from the Big Lottery Fund.
The 18th Century American western group re-creates scenes and shoot-outs from films such as Kevin Costner´s Open Range and they say they will put the cash into attracting new members and developing a mini-prairie town on land near Dalton Piercy.
Group treasurer Gerald Parker, 42, from the Rossmere area of Hartlepool, said: "The Wild West was a great time with so much history that lots of people are interested in. We have fallen in love with it. We try and be as authentic as possible and live the life of a person living back then. We do everything they do from cooking to gun fights to horse riding. This grant means we can do even more. We are making a small town and we want to be able to invite groups down and show them how Americans used to live in the 1800s."
The group has 25 members and further details about its plans are expected soon.
