OFF-THE-WALL JOBS THROUGHOUT HISTORY

Ever wondered what old jobs were considered common but are weird in the modern era's perspectives? Here are some of the odd jobs throughout history!

KNOCKER-UPS

Image from Medium

If you have trouble waking up before the invention of alarms, there are people whose jobs were to tap on their clients' windows with long sticks until they wake up. They were called the knocker-ups. Knocker-ups or Knocker-uppers were famous in Industrial Britain until the 1970s. The knocker-ups were paid one shilling per week per client, $2. Compensation also depends on the time and distance of residency of the clients. Early hours around 4 A.M were more expensive than later hours.

MAILMAN BABY

Image from Grudge

A boy was seen to be in a shoulder bag carried by the mailman.

Before the creation of delivery express, in 1913, a parent can send her/his toddler or baby through a mailman. In the early days, there is no distinct job description of a mailman in a postal office. One day, instead of mail, a boy was asked to be delivered to her grandma, a mile from his parent's house. Because of this, a lot of customers then send various things or babies instead of mails.

“The first few years of parcel post service—it was a bit of a mess. You had different towns getting away with different things, depending on how their postmaster read the regulations.”-Nancy Pope, head curator of history at the National Postal Museum.

GROOM OF THE STOOL

Image from History Extra

In early modern England, this job was considered to be a highly regarded position. The main work is to help the King of England poop and accompany him to the toilet. Though it stinks, there are some privileges as the Groom of the King’s Close Stool. These courtiers have power at the royal court and get to have the King’s hand-me-down clothes.

LECTOR

Image from Gone Jobs

This job will use the person's voice. Lectors will read aloud literature works and news while factory workers are working.

PIN SETTER

Image from FamilyTree.com

This job was for the boys. Before the invention of mechanical pinsetters, boys were hired to set the pins.

RESURRECTIONIST

Image from FunCage

Resurrectionists do not practice witchery or alchemy that they have the power to resurrect a dead body. They dug corpses in cemeteries and sold those bodies to schools that practice medicines. Resurrectionists were also called ‘"Body-snatchers" and gave the British government headache because of the high rate of stolen bodies in graveyards.

FOOD TASTER

Image from Quora

The main job of the taster was to eat the food before serving it. This was done out of the fear of eating food laced with lethal poison. This kind of job was mainly to protect the person of high importance.