ASTONISHING PEOPLE

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXVIII, Issue 13026, 3 May 1940, Page 2

ASTONISHING PEOPLE

BLIND JACK

He was born at Knaresborough in Yorkshire in 1717.

At six an attack of smallpox left him blind for life.

His affliction did not prevent him playing games with other boys. He soon learnt to fiddle ' merrytunes.

Long before he was 20 he stood six feet two.

He rode to Hounds, was a powerful swimmer, and was famous for the long walks he took alone. He would often guide people across the open country between his home and York or Harrogate. Never once was he known to lose

his way. Whenever he went he carried a staff.

One day he walked all the way to London, outstripping the coach. During the Scottish rebellion known as,the Forty Five he was a recruiting sergeant, enlisting 140 men.

He did not forget to recruit himself among them, and went off fiddling to Scotland, fighting furiously at Falkirk.

Back home in Yorkshire this amazing blind man started a coaching service, bought and sold horses, and conducted other profitable businesses. No living man knew the roads of England better than he did. He became a pioneer of road-build-ing—preceding both Macadam and Telford.

Doing his own surveying, he contracted for 180 miles of road-making, constructing bridges, retaining walls, culverts, and .dykes. , When other engineers failed to carry a road over the Pennines he succeeded. ■

His ability amazed all, his daring was the talk of the day. He had a ready wit, and loved a joke.

Retiring to Spefford about 179 2, he died there in 1810. He was 93 when his end came. He was John Metcalf, but he was always known as Blind Jack.