Metcalf, John (1717-1810), was one of the first to build properly designed roads in the United Kingdom. He constructed about 180 miles (300 kilometers) of turnpike (toll) roads in northern England. He also built many bridges. His achievements are especially remarkable because he had been blind since the age of 6.
Metcalf was born on Aug. 5, 1717, in Knaresborough, North Yorkshire, England. When he was 6 years old, he contracted smallpox, which left him completely blind. He joined the English Army as a musician in 1745 and was part of a company that put down a rebellion in Scotland. He later drove a wagon for hire and hauled fish in North Yorkshire. He was nearly 50 years old before he began building roads. He died on April 26, 1810.
