Buzz
“Learn to code,” is the common refrain from those who fail to understand the real struggles of workers in industries facing extinction. Whether it’s coal miners or internet journalists, the unrelenting pace of progress leaves many behind.
Yet, we tend to overlook jobs that once thrived and offered steady livelihoods for previous generations. Here’s a look at the top 10 roles that have been left behind by the march of time and innovation.
10. Knocker Uppers
It often takes some time for the latest technological innovations to become widespread in our everyday lives. Some new inventions are designed specifically to replace outdated tech. However, there are cases where fresh technologies step in to take over jobs previously done by humans.
This was certainly the case with the alarm clock. But what did people rely on before its invention? In more industrialized regions of England, they had a unique solution: knocker uppers.
Factories and mines were eager to get their workers to start their shifts as early as possible, often by 6:00 AM or earlier. The challenge, however, was that humans tend to love their sleep, frequently staying in bed well into the morning.
To solve the issue of late arrivals, these companies hired individuals who would walk through the narrow streets of the workers' neighborhoods, armed with long sticks or peashooters, to tap on bedroom windows and ensure the workers woke up on time.
9. Female Water Transporters
The ability to travel from one place to another is central to the evolution of humanity, setting us apart from the animal kingdom. Yet, nature often throws up barriers: mountains, deep valleys, rivers of molten lava, dense forests, jungles, and, most frequently, bodies of water.
Before World War I, the Swedish people employed an innovative method to cross the numerous waterways that separated them from the islands in the Stockholm archipelago—water taxis.
This occupation may not seem entirely outdated, but it was exclusively a female-dominated profession, relying on long-oar-propelled boats. (They faced competition from a group of unmarried women from Dalarna who used the newly invented paddle-wheel boats).
The rise of the Steam Age and subsequent technological advancements led to the eventual demise of the traditional role of female water transporters. It's truly unfortunate that we can no longer witness these remarkable women at work. As Venezuelan General Francisco de Miranda remarked in 1787, “[They were] good women who row like devils!”
8. Computers
So many people have become prisoners to their technology. Apple, Google, social media, Microsoft—never before in human history have we relied so heavily on such a small handful of corporations. But what would happen if a true neo-Luddite uprising occurred? What would replace all the omnipresent devices that we depend on?
Many of the tasks we perform on our devices would simply vanish, substituted by older forms of entertainment, communication, and labor. But what about the complex computing required to handle the vast quantities of data and analysis needed across every sector of human life?
In the absence of digital devices, we’d return to relying on...human computers, a nostalgic throwback to a time when people handled the computing tasks. Interestingly, NASA once depended on human computers for their calculations.
7. Priest Hunters
This one is very much tied to a specific era, thankfully. Queen Mary I has earned her infamous “bloody” reputation, but her younger sister, Elizabeth I, is generally viewed in a far more positive light by the public.
While Queen Mary burned Protestants at the stake, Elizabeth took steps to correct this by offering a reward for the capture of Catholic priests. She sent out men to track them down. Mission accomplished, peace restored!
This perilous atmosphere led many priests to take bold and often desperate steps to avoid capture. One such tactic was to create a “priest hole” in a sympathetic household where the priest could hide from the relentless hunters. If discovered, the priest was imprisoned, tortured, and ultimately executed.
Society frequently creates a “folk devil,” a person or group who becomes a scapegoat for widespread fear or anxiety. During Elizabethan England, Jesuit priests were assigned this role.
6. Whipping Boys
Children can be disrespectful, mischievous, and downright naughty. In earlier times, parents and guardians dealt with bad behavior by giving their children a good whipping. But what if your son had stolen an apple from the pantry, yet was also the heir to your nation's throne?
You couldn’t punish a future king. Instead, a whipping boy was used—a young boy who would endure the corporal punishment meant for the mischievous prince.
There is some controversy over whether this was truly a “real” job. However, considering that a physician might sometimes sample his noble patient’s urine to detect early signs of diabetes, we are inclined to believe such an absurd role did indeed exist.
5. Sandal-Bearers
In ancient societies like Egypt or feudal Japan, sandal-bearers were tasked with carrying the sandals of their superiors. These attendants often also performed the duty of washing their superior’s feet.
The role wasn’t as dismal as it may seem. In feudal Japan, sandal-bearers often ascended to higher positions from their humble beginnings. A prime example is Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who rose to become Imperial Regent of Japan after unifying the islands through brutal conquest.
Sandal-bearers also played a key role in ancient Egypt. The true nature of their status remains elusive. Were they depicted in artwork and reliefs as a nod to their elevated position, or was it merely a display of their masters' authority? We may never know.
4. Printer’s Devils
What do Walt Whitman, Thomas Jefferson, Ambrose Bierce, John Kellogg, Warren G. Harding, and Mark Twain all have in common? Yes, they’re all deceased. Yes, they were all American. But they were also all once printer’s devils as boys. It was a typical apprenticeship for young boys until the late 19th century.
There was no specific or distinctive set of responsibilities for a printer’s devil. Like many apprentices, they were simply errand boys who carried out basic tasks while observing their masters to learn the trade.
The decline of this role is more connected to the end of traditional printing practices and the fall of the apprentice system. Still, it’s hard to deny that there’s never been a cooler job title in history.
3. Link-Boys
The children who carried candles or torches along the dark streets of Victorian London were called “link-boys.” This is the origin of the phrase “can’t hold a candle to,” used to express inferiority to someone or something else.
Before streetlights dotted London’s roads at regular intervals, link-boys were hired by passing pedestrians to carry a lit link and guide the way. Occasionally, for a bit more cash, these boys would collaborate with thieves and robbers, leading unsuspecting customers into dark alleys where they would be robbed.
2. Mursmackas
This entry hails from Sweden, a nation that embraced gender equality long before many others. In this Scandinavian country, both men and women had the same opportunity to be equally miserable!
A bricklayer’s work is already demanding enough without carrying heavy pallets (or buckets) of mortar to the wall. So, why not assign this task to an unmarried mother struggling to find work elsewhere?
This was the mindset in Sweden during the rapid expansion of Stockholm, Gothenburg, and other cities from the late 18th to early 20th centuries. However, as society progressed and women gained more freedoms, Swedish women found themselves with more job opportunities.
1. Herb Strewers
Have you ever worried that the hallways in your palace might smell unpleasant? If that’s the case, you’d need an herb strewer!
London was infamous for its stench, and unfortunately for the royal family, their main residences were always located in this stinky metropolis. Kings and queens don’t take kindly to the foul smells rising from open sewers and piles of animal waste, so they created a specialized role to deal with this olfactory nightmare.
A role exclusively for women, the herb strewer did exactly what the title suggests. She would scatter herbs and fragrant petals throughout the royal residence.
The herb strewer was also an important figure during coronation ceremonies. She would lead the procession, scattering herbs and petals as the king- or queen-elect made their way to the throne. However, the position was discontinued during the coronation of William IV in 1830 due to financial constraints.
The last woman to serve as the royal herb strewer was Anne Fellowes. Should the position ever be revived, the first unmarried descendant of Fellowes would have the right to claim the title.
