Blind Jack Of Knaresborough: Road Builder Extraordinary
Condition: SECONDHAND
This is a secondhand book. The jacket image is a photograph of the exact copy we have in stock. This image shows the condition of this book. Further condition remarks are below.
Condition remarks:
Book: Good
Jacket: Worn/faded, no tears
Pages: Good
Markings: No markings
A compelling work of historical biography, this volume chronicles the remarkable life of John Metcalf — better known as Blind Jack of Knaresborough — one of eighteenth-century England's most extraordinary and unlikely pioneers. Born in 1717 and rendered blind at the age of six, Metcalf defied every expectation of his era, building hundreds of miles of roads across the rugged terrain of northern England long before the age of professional civil engineering. Garry Hogg presents the story with vivid, accessible prose that captures both the adventure and the sheer audacity of a man who navigated the world entirely by touch, memory, and an indomitable force of will. The narrative illustrates how Metcalf's achievements were not merely personal triumphs but genuine contributions to the infrastructure of a rapidly industrializing nation, making him a forgotten yet foundational figure in British history. Engaging and authoritative, this biography rescues a fascinating life from obscurity and delivers it to readers with the energy and colour it so richly deserves.
Author: Garry Hogg
Format: Hardback
Published: 1967, Phoenix House, London
Genre: Biography
Condition remarks:
Book: Good
Jacket: Worn/faded, no tears
Pages: Good
Markings: No markings
A compelling work of historical biography, this volume chronicles the remarkable life of John Metcalf — better known as Blind Jack of Knaresborough — one of eighteenth-century England's most extraordinary and unlikely pioneers. Born in 1717 and rendered blind at the age of six, Metcalf defied every expectation of his era, building hundreds of miles of roads across the rugged terrain of northern England long before the age of professional civil engineering. Garry Hogg presents the story with vivid, accessible prose that captures both the adventure and the sheer audacity of a man who navigated the world entirely by touch, memory, and an indomitable force of will. The narrative illustrates how Metcalf's achievements were not merely personal triumphs but genuine contributions to the infrastructure of a rapidly industrializing nation, making him a forgotten yet foundational figure in British history. Engaging and authoritative, this biography rescues a fascinating life from obscurity and delivers it to readers with the energy and colour it so richly deserves.