A short time after the regiment called the Queen’s Bays were raised, they were quartered at Knaresborough and the adjacent towns; but, after a short stay, they were ordered to the North. The country people seemed extremely unwilling to supply carriages for conveying the baggage; the King’s allowance being but nine-pence a mile, per ton; that of the County, one shilling in the West Riding, and fifteen-pence, in the North Riding. Metcalf having two waggons, (one of them covered) had a mind to try this new business; and, to make sure of the job, got the soldiers to press his two carriages, which were accordingly loaded, himself attending them to Durham. Previous to loading, however, the country people, who knew the advantage of carrying for the army, and who had kept back, in hopes of an advance in the price, came forward with their waggons, in opposition to Metcalf; but the soldiers would employ no other.
Arriving at Durham, he met Bland’s Dragoons, on their march from the North to York: they loaded his waggons again for Northallerton, and would willingly have engaged them to York; but this he was obliged to decline, having promised to bring twenty-three wool-packs to Knaresborough. He was just six days in performing this journey; and cleared, with eight horses and the one he rode, no less a sum than twenty pounds; though many people were afraid to travel with soldiers.
Some time after the Queen’s regiment had got to Durham, it received the usual annual recruit of four horses to a troop. The regiment having been so lately raised, had no old horses: nevertheless, four were to be sold from each. Metcalf had notice sent him of the sale, but did not receive the letter until the day before it commenced.—He set off, however, that afternoon, for Durham, and riding all night, got there by day-break.
His first business was to become acquainted with the farriers; so getting about half-a-dozen of them together, and plying them heartily with gin, he began to question them as to the horses which were to be sold.
Amongst the number to be disposed of, was a grey one, belonging to one of the drums. The man who had the charge of him not having been sufficiently careful in trimming him, had burnt him severely, which caused a prodigious swelling. Had this careless conduct been known to his superiors, he would have been punished for it: upon that account the matter was hushed up. Metcalf, however, being apprized of the real cause, in the course of his conversation with the farriers, determined to purchase him, judging that they would be desirous to part with him at any price; and in this conjecture he was not mistaken.
The sale began by bringing out seven bay horses; six of which a gentleman bought for a carriage, and Metcalf purchased the seventh.
They then brought forward the grey horse with his swelled sheath, which excited many jokes and much laughter among the spectators.—Our chapman bought him also, at the very low price of 3l. 15s. 0d. which was first affixed by the auctioneer, but which, however, the people said was very much beyond his value.
Having used such applications as he thought efficacious for his recovery, by the time he had got him home he had the satisfaction to find him perfectly sound; and within a week afterwards refused fifteen guineas for him.—He kept him many years as a draught-horse; and the other horse also was sold to a profit, by which he thought himself very well paid for his journey to Durham.
In the year 1751 Metcalf commenced a new employ:—He set up a stage-waggon between York and Knaresborough, being the first on that road, and conducted it constantly himself, twice a week in the summer season, and once in winter; and this business, together with the occasional conveyance of army baggage, employed his attention until the period of his first contracting for the making of roads, which suiting him better, he disposed of his draught, and interest in the road, to one Guiseley.
An act of Parliament having been obtained to make a turnpike-road from Harrogate to Boroughbridge, a person of the name of Ostler, of Farnham, was appointed surveyor; and Metcalf falling into company with him, agreed to make about three miles of it, viz. between Minskip and Fearnsby.—The materials were to be procured from one gravel pit for the whole length: he therefore provided deal boards, and erected a temporary house at the pit, took a dozen horses to the place, fixed racks and mangers; and hired a house for his men at Minskip, which was distant about three-quarters of a mile. He often walked from Knaresborough in the morning, with four or five stone of meat on his shoulders, and joined his men by six o’clock: and by the means he used, he completed the work much sooner than was expected, to the entire satisfaction of the surveyor and trustees.