Blind Jack

John Metcalf (15 August 1717 – 26 April 1810), 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. His career spent on the roads in the region has been commemorated in a pub named after him, a statue in Knaresborough town centre and part of the A658 in Harrogate being named 'John Metcalf Way'.