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15 Odd Jobs That Actually Used To Exist: A Glimpse into Forgotten Occupations
Embrace the odd jobs; they pave the path to extraordinary stories.
In a world constantly evolving with technology and innovation, many occupations that were once essential have faded into obscurity, becoming relics of the past. These jobs, often unique to specific cultures and regions, played crucial roles in their communities, providing services and skills that have since been rendered obsolete by modern advancements.
Here are 15 careers that once existed:
1. knocker up
Woke others up by knocking on their windows.
Reason for disappearance: the invention and widespread availability of affordable alarm clocks.
2. pinsetter
People, often young boys, who manually set up bowling pins before automated pinsetters were introduced.
Reason for disappearance: the invention of automatic pinsetting machines.
3. leech collector
Collected leeches from bodies of water for use in medical treatments.
Reason for disappearance: advances in medical science and the decline of bloodletting as a common practice.
4. lector
Read aloud to factory workers to keep them entertained and informed during long work hours
Reason for disappearance: technological advancements and changes in factory work culture.
5. milkman
Delivered fresh milk to homes daily.
Reason for disappearance: refrigeration and supermarket sales.
6. whipping boy
Boys who took punishment on behalf of royal children.
Reason for disappearance: changes in educational and disciplinary practices.
7. chimney sweep
Cleaned soot and ash from chimneys.
Reason for disappearance: modern heating systems and regulations.
8. gong farmer
Cleaned out human waste from privies.
Reason for disappearance: modern sewage systems.
9. ice cutter
Cut ice from frozen lakes for refrigeration.
Reason for disappearance: development of electric refrigerators.
10. rat catcher
Caught rats in urban areas.
Reason for disappearance: modern pest control methods.
11. lamplighter
Lit and maintained gas street lamps.
Reason for disappearance: introduction of electric street lighting.
12. town crier
Announced news and proclamations in public squares.
Reason for disappearance: newspapers and modern communication.
13. alnager
Measured and certified the quality of wool cloth.
Reason for disappearance: industrialization and standardized manufacturing processes.
14. mudlark
Scavenged in river mud for valuables.
Reason for disappearance: environmental regulations and modern waste management.
15. gandy dancer
Railroad workers who laid and maintained tracks.
Reason for disappearance: mechanization and modern railway maintenance equipment.