Back in Time Today
Throughout history, as society has evolved, many job roles have come and gone. From roles that catered to specific societal needs to those that became obsolete due to technological advancements, these jobs offer a fascinating glimpse into the past.
Here, we explore 29 such job roles that no longer exist today, shedding light on the unique and sometimes peculiar tasks they involved.
1. Lamplighter
Lamplighters were essential in the days before electric street lighting. They would manually light each street lamp, typically fueled by oil or gas, at dusk.
This job required solitude and nimbleness, as the lamplighter moved quickly through the streets, often using a long pole to reach the lamps.
Being a lamplighter meant working in all weather conditions, and having an intimate knowledge of the town’s lamp locations. Over time, as electric lighting became widespread, the need for lamplighters faded, leaving this once crucial job to history.
2. Knocker-up
Before alarm clocks became affordable, knocker-ups were employed to wake people up. Armed with a long stick or pea shooter, they tapped on windows to rouse workers for their early shifts. This role was vital in industrial towns where punctuality was key for factory shifts.
Most knocker-ups were elderly, supplementing their income by ensuring the workforce was on time. As technology advanced, the demand for knocker-ups dwindled, making way for mechanical alarm clocks to take their place.
3. Switchboard Operator
Switchboard operators were the human link connecting telephone calls before automation. They worked in telephone exchanges, manually connecting calls by plugging wires into a switchboard. This required quick thinking and excellent memory.
Predominantly a female role, it was one of the few jobs available for women, providing them with a sense of independence.
However, with the advent of digital technology, the need for manual telephone exchanges vanished, and the switchboard operator became a thing of the past.
4. Ice Cutter
Ice cutters harvested ice from frozen lakes and rivers during winter. This was crucial before the invention of refrigeration, as ice was needed for preserving food and cooling drinks. Workers used saws and chisels, enduring harsh, cold conditions to cut and transport the ice.
It was a dangerous job, with risks of falling into freezing water or accidents with cutting tools. The development of artificial refrigeration technology rendered ice cutting obsolete, turning this once vital trade into a historical footnote.
5. Rat Catcher
Rat catchers played a significant role in controlling rat populations in urban areas. Rats spread disease and infested food supplies, so these workers were crucial for public health.
Armed with various traps, poisons, and often aided by trained terriers, they patrolled the streets to catch as many rodents as possible.
Despite the unpleasant nature of the job, it was necessary until modern pest control methods emerged. The rat catcher’s skills gradually became redundant as cities adopted more effective and humane pest management strategies.
6. Scribe
Scribes were essential for documentation before the printing press. They meticulously hand-copied manuscripts, keeping records for religious, governmental, and literary purposes.
Their work demanded precision, attention to detail, and often profound knowledge of languages and scripts.
In many cultures, being a scribe was a prestigious position, requiring years of training. However, the advent of printing technology drastically reduced the need for manual copying, leading to the decline of the scribe’s prominence and necessity.
7. Pinsetter
Pinsetters were young workers in bowling alleys, responsible for manually resetting the pins after each roll. They had to be quick and alert, dodging balls while keeping the games running smoothly. This role was often filled by teenagers, offering them a way to earn extra money.
With the development of automated pinsetting machines, the need for human pinsetters disappeared. What was once a lively job filled with hustle and noise was replaced by the quiet efficiency of machines.
8. Milkman
Milkmen delivered fresh milk directly to homes, a daily routine in many communities. They were familiar figures in neighborhoods, often forming bonds with the families they served. This service was crucial when refrigeration was limited, ensuring a steady supply of fresh milk.
As supermarkets and home refrigeration became widespread, the milkman’s role diminished. The convenience of buying milk directly from stores ended the era of the milkman, a nostalgic figure in many people’s memories.
9. Lector
Lectors had the unique role of reading aloud to factory workers, primarily in cigar factories. They read newspapers, novels, or political treatises to entertain and educate employees during long, monotonous work hours.
This role was both engaging and informative, often selected by the workers themselves.
However, changes in labor laws and workplace dynamics, along with the advent of radio and other media, led to the disappearance of lectors. They remain a fascinating example of how entertainment and education were blended in the workplace.
10. Lung Cleaner
Lung cleaners, often known as chimney sweeps, cleaned soot from chimneys to prevent fires and maintain airflow. In the Victorian era, boys as young as six were employed in this hazardous job, climbing into narrow, dark chimneys.
The work was dangerous and unhealthy, leading to many initiatives advocating for their protection. Eventually, mechanized cleaning methods and strict regulations abolished the use of child labor and manual cleaning, ending the era of the human chimney sweep.
11. Herb Strewer
Herb strewers were employed in medieval times to scatter fragrant herbs and petals in rooms and hallways. This was done to mask unpleasant odors and provide a sense of cleanliness, especially in large, crowded buildings like castles.
The role required knowledge of various herbs and their aromatic properties. With the advent of modern cleaning products and air fresheners, the necessity for herb strewers diminished, leaving this aromatic occupation behind as a curious historical practice.
12. Gong Farmer
Gong farmers held one of the least enviable jobs in medieval times, responsible for removing human waste from cesspits. They worked at night to avoid the public, armed with basic tools to dig out and transport the waste.
Despite the foul nature, it was a well-paying job due to its unpleasantness. As sanitation systems and sewage technology advanced, the need for manual waste removal decreased, making the gong farmer role obsolete.
13. Town Crier
Town criers served as the original news broadcasters, delivering public announcements and news to townsfolk. Equipped with a loud voice and a bell, they were essential in a time when literacy was low.
Criers were often respected members of their community, entrusted with important information. The role faded with the rise of printed media and improved literacy rates, transforming how news was disseminated.
14. Typesetter
Typesetters arranged letters and symbols for printing presses, a meticulous task requiring precision and speed. This role was crucial for newspapers, books, and any printed material before digital printing.
With the introduction of computer-based typesetting and digital printing, the labor-intensive manual typesetting became obsolete. The once vital skill of arranging type by hand has now become a quaint reminder of the printing industry’s evolution.
15. Rag-and-Bone Man
Rag-and-bone men collected unwanted items, scrap metal, and rags, recycling them for reuse or resale. They were an early form of waste recyclers, providing a valuable service to communities before modern waste management.
Often seen traveling with a cart, they would sort through refuse for items of value. As organized waste disposal systems developed, the role of rag-and-bone men gradually faded, yet they are remembered fondly in cultural references.
16. Leech Collector
Leech collectors waded into marshes and ponds to gather leeches, used in medical treatments. This task was often performed by women, who would endure the discomfort and risk of leeches attaching to their skin.
Leeches were a staple in bloodletting practices, believed to cure various ailments. With advancements in medical science and changing treatments, the demand for leeches plummeted, making the role of leech collectors largely obsolete.
17. Hemp Dresser
In the textile industry of the past, hemp dressers were responsible for preparing hemp fibers, a vital raw material for rope and fabric production. This job required skillful hands to comb and align fibers, making them ready for spinning into thread.
The work was labor-intensive and depended heavily on manual dexterity and endurance. With the advent of synthetic fibers and modern machinery, the demand for traditional hemp processing dwindled. This shift marked the end of the hemp dresser’s role.
While hemp is still used today, the methods and scale of production have changed, rendering the old techniques and the profession itself relics of a bygone era.
18. Matchstick Maker
Matchstick makers crafted matches by hand in cramped, often hazardous conditions. This work was primarily done by women and children in the 19th century, exposing them to toxic chemicals like phosphorus.
The health risks were significant, with diseases like “phossy jaw” affecting workers. Improved safety regulations and automation in manufacturing processes eventually eradicated the need for manual matchstick production, rendering this dangerous occupation obsolete.
19. Sin-eater
Sin-eaters participated in a ritual believed to absorb the sins of the deceased. They consumed a ceremonial meal placed on the body, thought to cleanse the dead of their transgressions before the afterlife.
This practice, born out of religious and social customs, was often performed by marginalized individuals. As religious beliefs and practices evolved, the role of the sin-eater disappeared, leaving behind a curious chapter in the history of funerary customs.
20. Telegraphist
Telegraphists operated the telegraph, a revolutionary communication device before telephones. They sent and received messages in Morse code, bridging vast distances with speed and efficiency.
This role required skill and precision, making telegraphists key figures in communication from the mid-19th century. With the advent of telephones and later digital communication, the telegraph and its operators became obsolete, ushering in a new era of connectivity.
21. Barber-Surgeon
Barber-surgeons were both barbers and medical practitioners, a common sight in medieval Europe. They performed minor surgeries, bloodletting, and dental extractions, often with rudimentary tools.
The red and white barber pole symbolizes their dual roles. As medical science advanced, surgery became a distinct profession, separating from barbershop services, thus ending the barber-surgeon’s era.
22. Human Computer
Human computers were individuals, often women, who performed complex mathematical calculations by hand. They were vital in fields such as astronomy, engineering, and military during World War II.
These roles required incredible accuracy and advanced mathematical skills. With the development of electronic computers, the need for human computers declined, paving the way for modern computing technology.
23. Breaker Boy
Breaker boys were young children employed in coal mines to separate impurities from coal. They worked in harsh, dirty conditions, often facing health hazards and physical exhaustion.
Child labor laws and technological advancements led to the decline of such roles. Machines eventually replaced the need for manual sorting, improving safety and efficiency in mining operations.
24. Whipping Boy
Whipping boys were appointed to receive punishment intended for young princes or nobility. This concept arose because royal children were too important to be punished directly.
The whipping boy’s role was to deter bad behavior through empathy and guilt. As educational and disciplinary practices evolved, this role became obsolete, a relic of historical approaches to royalty and discipline.
25. Log Driver
Log drivers, often known as ‘river pigs,’ played a key role in the logging industry by guiding logs down rivers to sawmills. It was a physically demanding job that required balance, strength, and quick reflexes.
The log driver’s work was seasonal and perilous, with workers navigating fast-flowing rivers and preventing logjams. Advances in transportation infrastructure and modern logging practices eventually made this role obsolete.
The daring image of log drivers has been romanticized in folklore and song, but their daily reality was one of hard labor and risk.
26. Gandy Dancer
Gandy dancers were early railroad workers in the United States responsible for laying and maintaining railroad tracks. Their job required physical strength and coordination, as they used special tools known as “gandy” to align the tracks.
The name “gandy dancer” is said to come from the synchronized movements and chants the workers used to keep rhythm while working.
These workers played a crucial role in expanding the railroad network, which was vital for the economic development and westward expansion of the United States.
While machines have replaced gandy dancers today, their contributions laid the foundation for modern rail infrastructure. Their unique work culture, complete with songs and camaraderie, remains a fascinating aspect of American labor history.
27. Phrenologist
Phrenologists studied the shape of the skull to determine personality traits and mental abilities. This pseudoscience was popular in the 19th century, attracting both skepticism and interest.
Despite being discredited by modern science, phrenology had a considerable influence on early psychological and neurological studies. Today, it is remembered primarily as a historical curiosity rather than a valid scientific practice.
28. Luddite
The Luddites were early 19th-century English workers who destroyed machinery, especially in cotton and woolen mills, fearing it would replace their jobs.
This movement, rooted in protest against the Industrial Revolution, represented a significant social upheaval of the time. They were named after Ned Ludd, a mythical figure said to have destroyed a stocking frame in 1779.
The Luddites operated under the cover of night, often masked and in groups, to dismantle the machines they believed threatened their livelihoods.
While seen as anti-progress, their actions highlighted the anxiety and displacement caused by rapid technological advancement.
Today, ‘Luddite’ is often used to describe someone opposed to new technology, though the term’s origin reflects a deeper socio-economic struggle.
29. Redsmith
Redsmiths specialized in crafting items from copper, a skill highly valued in history for creating tools, utensils, and decorative pieces. Their expertise required knowledge of metallurgy and artistry.
With the industrial revolution and mass production, the demand for handcrafted copper goods declined. The role of redsmiths, though still appreciated in artisan crafts, became largely obsolete in mainstream manufacturing.