Additional Coverage:
- 12 Jobs That Used To Exist but No One Does Anymore (wealthgang.com)
Remember When These Jobs Existed? A Look Back at Obsolete Occupations
Before the rise of modern technology, certain jobs, now obsolete, were vital to everyday life. These roles, from connecting phone calls to delivering milk, offer a glimpse into a different era.
1. Switchboard Operator: Forget speed dialing!
Once upon a time, connecting a phone call required a room full of operators and a dizzying array of cords and plugs. “Operator, get me the Five and Dime!”
was a common refrain.
2. Milkman: Long before refrigerators became commonplace, the friendly neighborhood milkman delivered fresh milk daily, in charming glass bottles, preventing spoilage.
3. Ice Cutter: Imagine a world without automatic ice makers.
Ice cutters harvested blocks of ice from frozen lakes and rivers, a crucial service before refrigeration. Telling someone back then about on-demand cubed ice would have likely gotten you accused of witchcraft!
4. Lamplighter: Streetlights weren’t always automatic.
Lamplighters, armed with flames, would make their rounds each evening, illuminating the streets one by one. A signal for kids to race home before dinner!
5. Knocker-Upper: Oversleeping wasn’t an option in the pre-alarm clock era.
Knocker-uppers used long poles to tap on bedroom windows, ensuring everyone woke up on time. A far cry from today’s snooze buttons!
6. Bowling Alley Pinsetter: Automatic pinsetters weren’t always a given. These workers manually reset the pins after each bowling turn, a physically demanding job.
7. Rat Catcher: Pest control exists today, but dedicated rat catchers highlight a time when rodent infestations were a much larger problem. Thankfully, this profession isn’t in such high demand anymore.
8. Elevator Operator: “Which floor, sir?” Elevator operators provided a personalized touch to elevator travel, unlike today’s impersonal buttons.
9. Computer (Human): Before electronic computers, “computer” referred to a person who performed complex calculations. Imagine the mental fatigue after a day of number crunching!
10. Lector: Factory work could be monotonous.
Lectors would read aloud to workers, providing entertainment and breaking the silence of the workday. An early form of podcasting, perhaps?
11. Gandy Dancer: Despite the name, no dancing was involved. Gandy dancers were railroad workers who laid and maintained tracks, a back-breaking job later replaced by machinery.
12. Soda Jerk: Not a goofy stereotype, soda jerks were skilled professionals who operated soda fountains, crafting delicious concoctions with ice cream, syrups, and carbonation. Like so many other roles, this one has been automated away.
Read More About This Story:
- 12 Jobs That Used To Exist but No One Does Anymore (wealthgang.com)