Bringing back the horse and buggy

• Published date: 18 April 2024
• Author: Rebecca Mauger
• Publication title: Katikati Advertiser

Although the gigs were on their way out in the 1950s, the carts were still used rurally when he was growing up

“Where I came from, everyone had the old carts in their sheds.

“We had a few of them but it was the end of the era ...tractors were coming in and Model A and T cars. Once tractors came out, nobody used the carts any more.”

He has rebuilt a gig from old parts he’s been holding on to for 70 years.

Gigs were open carriages with large wheels, a forward-facing seat and shafts for a single horse.

Perrett always loved the relics.

His grandfather Bill let young Jim have gig parts all those years ago.

Now he’s finally found the time to rebuild the cart.

“I always thought ‘one day I’m going to make one of those’, one day I knew I would rebuild it.”

Perrett thinks it was first built around 1890 using oak.

He believes the cart was used...