Knaresborough History - John Metcalf or Blind Jack of Knaresborough

John Metcalf, 1801
Drawn by J R Smith
Life of John Metcalf

When John Metcalf was born on August 15th, 1717, George I had been the British Monarch for only three years, following the death of Queen Ann, and the first Jacobite Rebellion had already been suppressed in 1715. Christopher Wren, the architect of St Paul's Cathedral in London, was still alive and the Bank of England was less than 25 years old.

Jack was born into a working class family in Knaresborough and would have had a fairly typical upbringing, going to school at the age of four. It was small pox, with which Jack was afflicted at the age of six, which caused his complete blindness and set the stage for a remarkable story of optimism and confidence in the face of adversity

Growing Up

Stories of Jack's exploits as a child after he became blind show that he was determined not to let his afflication hamper him in any way. By the age of nine he was able to find his way around Knaresborough on his own. He joined his friends in boyhood pranks and developed a mischievous nature. Learning to ride he became partial to the hunt and even kept a few hounds himself. He also became a strong swimmer, retrieving lost articles from the fast-flowing River Nidd when others dare not go. Not the least of his accomplishments was his playing of the violin, so good that he was employed at country dances in Harrogate. Amazingly, he was also employed as a guide for he knew his way around the district exceedingly well. Once, he guided a gentleman from York to Harrogate without the man being aware of his blindness. On arriving in Harrogate and taking refreshment at the Granby, the landlord informed the gentleman that Jack was completely blind. He was naturally astonished "Had I known that, I would not have ventured with you for an hundred pounds" he said to Jack - " And I, Sir," said Jack "would not have lost my way for a thousand." Life of John Metcalf p29 - 30

Positioning friends at strategic places on the green, Jack was even able to play bowls by listening to their conversation, and he became well-known for his expertise at cards, which he would feel carefully before playing, relying on the companionship of a friend to ensure that there was no cheating.

At the age of 21 Jack was a robust figure, over six feet tall. He was enjoying life, playing games, hunting, playing his violin for employment. One of the daughters of the landlord of the Granby was a great favourite of his - her name was Dorothy Benson. When Jack was charged with having fathered a child by another woman Dolly begged him not to marry her. Jack doesn't seem to have had much intention of doing so in any case, by his own account! He offered to buy his way out of his problem but absconded before paying over any money. He fled to Whitby, where he had an aunt, and boarded a ship to London. Bizarrely, he spent only a few weeks in the city, as he met so many acquaintances there that he did not feel safe!

Returning to Whitby he went on to Newcastle where he had many acquaintances among the people who frequently visited Knaresborough. The news of his adventure was unknown here and he stayed about a month, playing his violin and enjoying a warm welcome. Turning south he spent some time in Sunderland with the sailors before returning to his aunt's in Whitby to collect his horse.

Marriage

Back home he continued to give his performances on the violin and was much in demand. His fortune had grown to £15 and he appointed Dorothy his treasurer, but this did not prevent him form losing two thirds of his money on cock fighting. A disappointed Dorothy appears to have turned her attentions to another suitor - a young shoemaker with a good business from Kirby-over-blow (a little to the south west of Spofforth) named Anthony Dickinson. His courting was so successful that banns were published in the Knaresborough and Kirby-over-blow churches and the date of the wedding was set. Dorothy must have agonised about what she was doing, for the day before her wedding she told Jack that she would be far happier married to him, however poor. Thus reconciled they went their separate ways to the entertainment put on by Dickinson but later that night Jack collected Dorothy and they eloped, and "... with only the trouble of riding twelve miles, and at a small expence, were united." ibid. p67

After they were married they returned to Harrogate, Jack to play at the Queen's Head during breakfast. While there he was asked if he knew the whereabouts of Dorothy, and confessed to the marriage. Very quickly, Dorothy's parents were told and are said to have been "... just as well pleased at it, as they would have been at the sight of their building in flames; ..." ibid. p70

Jack had a house built for himself and his wife gave birth, first to a son and secondly to a daughter. He became reconciled with his mother-in-law and began to look around for new modes of employment.

He realised that transport was increasingly required and started a public service with a four wheeled chaise and a one-horse chair - the first in existence - which he kept going for a couple of summers until the local hostelries recognised the profits to be made and began their own services. He then began to carry fish from the coast to Leeds and Manchester for sale but this was not very profitable and very hard work.

When the 1745 rebellion began Jack was once more earning a living by playing his violin in Harrogate.

The 1745 (Second Jacobite) Rebellion

During Jack's early years great changes had been taking place in society. Perhaps the most important of these was Robert Walpole becoming the first recognised British Prime Minister - prior to this event in 1721 Parliament had been theoretically presided over by the monarch. George II succeeded to the throne in 1727. In his sixtieth year (in 1743) he led his army to victory at the Battle of Dettingen - he was the last reigning British monarch to go into battle. Two years later, the Young Pretender, Charles the grandson of James II, landed in Scotland and thus began the Second Jacobite Rebellion. Charles' small army reached Derby before retreating north.

Volunteers were being sought to fight against the rebellious Scots and in the Knaresborough region one William Thornton raised a Company for the king. Thornton knew well of Jack and his remarkable abilities, as Jack had spent several Christmases with him. Jack was made assistant to the recruiting sergeant and they were highly successful in their enterprise, making extravagent promises to those who signed up - apparently the standard practice at the time.

The Company, with Jack, joined General Wade's army at Boroughbridge and marched north to Newcastle where they joined General Pulteney's weakened regiment. Eventually in Scotland they engaged the rebel army, Jack not seeing action at this time as he was helping with cannon which were stuck in the mud! Captain Thornton became seperated from his Company and had to hide from the rebels. Jack, determined to find him, pretended to go over to the rebels but suspicion fell on him and he was taken prisoner. On being acquitted after trial he learned that Thornton had reached Edinburgh and made his way there.

Jack's adventures north of the border were not over, however, for the Duke of Cumberland had marched his army in early 1746 into Scotland. While in Edinburgh he decided to give a ball at which he requested the services of Jack to play on his violin for the country dancing.

Roads

Blind Jack and his viameter

Blind Jack and his
"viameter" in the
Knaresborough Millenium Pageant

Jack had seen much in Scotland which was not available in England and, as an astute businessman, he prepared to take advantage by purchasing novel items, such as Aberdeen stockings, for sale in England. He also traded in horses and contraband - highly profitable and highly illegal!

In 1754 Jack began a new enterprise of operating a stone waggon between York and Knaresborough and continued in this business until an Act was passed, around 1765, to create a turnpike road between Harrogate and Boroughbridge. This was to signal the beginning of the occupation for which his name was to become even more widely known - road-building. The profession of road builder was essentially non-existent at this time and Mr Ostler - the local surveyor - would have had few even remotely qualified people to choose from to build the road.

Jack Metcalf knew the state of the roads better than most and, what is more, he was shrewd enough to realise that this would only be the beginning of road-making throughout the area. He won the contract to build three miles of the proposed road from Minskip to Fearnsby, sold his waggons and began what was to be thirty years of road building. Smiles

He seems to have been particularly adept at devising sound methods to solve difficult problems in road building - for instance in crossing boggy land. He not only made roads designed by others but surveyed the land himself, even in the most difficult terrain. Special tools helped him in his road-making activities, including a specially adapted "viameter" which measured distances and which he was able to "read" by touch.

According to Smiles he constructed a total of about 180 miles and was paid about £65000. His work includes roads between:

On one occasion his wife travelled with him to Stockport to consult a medical practitioner. It was there that she died in the summer of 1778 leaving four children, 19 grand-children and 35 great-grand-children. She is buried in Stockport church yard - Porritt transcribes her epitaph:

Jack branched out into textiles at this late stage of his life, one of his daughters having married into the cotton business in Cheshire. His first spinning business failed but he did not give up and developed a weaving business, selling his wares in Knaresborough.

He continued with his roadmaking activities until well into his 70's but returned to Yorkshire in 1792 to settle with a daughter and son-in-law in Spofforth.

He died at Spofforth in 1810 where his gravestone can be seen in the church yard:

John Metcalf's gravestone in Spofforth churchyard.

Reader! like him exert thy utmost talent giv'n;
Reader! like him adore the bounteous hand of Heav'n.