I AM writing a life of John Gough (1757-1825) who, as many readers will know, was born and died in Kendal.

Gough was blind from an early age but nonetheless made significant contributions in several areas of science, particularly botany, meteorology and sound.

He was a friend of, and written about by, Wordsworth, Coleridge and Thomas De Quincey (who, of course, edited your fine newspaper) and is remembered as the teacher and benefactor of the great scientist John Dalton.

Gough left his archive to John Harrison (1761-1833), minister of the Unitarian Church in Kendal.

If any of your readers know of the existence of this archive or, indeed, any other material relating to John Gough, I will be delighted to hear from them at b.mcdowell1@btinternet.com

Daniel McDowell

Ludlow