English engineer (died 1810)

Blind Jack

John Metcalf, known as Blind Jack of Knaresborough or Blind Jack Metcalf, was an English road builder, the first professional road builder to emerge during the Industrial Revolution. Blind from the age of six, Metcalf had an eventful life, which was documented by his own account just before his death. He was an accomplished diver, swimmer, card player and fiddler, but was better known for the period between 1765 and 1792 when he built about 180 miles (290 km) of turnpike road, mainly in the north of England, and as such, he became known as one of the fathers of the modern road.

Born

1717

August 15

Died

Living

Era

1710s

Country

—

About

Blind, in brief

John Metcalf, known as Blind Jack of Knaresborough or Blind Jack Metcalf, was an English road builder, the first professional road builder to emerge during the Industrial Revolution. Blind from the age of six, Metcalf had an eventful life, which was documented by his own account just before his death. He was an accomplished diver, swimmer, card player and fiddler, but was better known for the period between 1765 and 1792 when he built about 180 miles (290 km) of turnpike road, mainly in the north of England, and as such, he became known as one of the fathers of the modern road.

Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

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