11 Forgotten Jobs That No Longer Exist (And Why They Mattered)

These old-school jobs vanished with time, but once upon a hustle, they kept the world running.

Sophia Zapanta
April 16, 2025
4 min read

11 Forgotten Jobs That No Longer Exist (And Why They Mattered) — Anna Tarazevich on Wikimedia Commons

Before tech took over, people held jobs that sound completely made up today. From human alarm clocks to ice haulers, these roles filled real gaps in everyday life. Here’s a look at 11 long-gone careers that were once essential, and how they quietly disappeared.

1. Knocker-Upper

IISG on Wikimedia Commons

Before alarm clocks were common, there were people whose job was to bang on your window to wake you up. They used sticks, pebbles, or even long poles to knock until you stirred. This was especially common in industrial towns during the 19th and early 20th centuries. They mattered because factory shifts started early, and oversleeping meant lost wages.

2. Lamplighter

Gunnar Lanz on Wikimedia Commons

Streetlights used to run on gas, and someone had to go around lighting them at dusk and putting them out at dawn. Lamplighters used long poles and often had specific city routes. Their presence was a symbol of safety and modernity. Electricity eventually made their work obsolete, but for a while, they lit up the night—literally.

3. Ice Cutter

J. Alden Weir on Wikimedia Commons

Before freezers, people needed ice blocks to chill food, and ice cutters braved frozen lakes to harvest it. They’d carve huge slabs from the surface and haul them back using sleds or wagons. It was dangerous, cold work, but it kept food fresh before refrigeration. Once electric fridges showed up, the whole industry melted away.

4. Switchboard Operator

FortepanIowa on Wikimedia Commons

When making a phone call meant patching cables manually, switchboard operators were the human middlemen. Usually women, they connected callers by plugging wires into the right slots. This required focus, speed, and serious multitasking. Automation eventually replaced them, but they were the voices behind every connection.

5. Rat Catcher

Juliana 8 on Wikimedia Commons

Cities in the 1800s and early 1900s had major rodent problems, and rat catchers were hired to keep infestations under control. They used traps, poison, and sometimes even trained ferrets. These jobs were gritty but important for public health. Pest control still exists, but this version was much more… hands-on.

6. Town Crier

Marcus Jeffrey on Wikimedia Commons

Before newspapers or Twitter, town criers were how you got the news. They’d walk the streets ringing a bell and shouting headlines or royal announcements. Many were officially appointed by the local government. Eventually, print media and radio stole their thunder (and their bell).

7. Pinsetter

RCraig09 on Wikimedia Commons

In early bowling alleys, pins didn’t reset themselves. Kids—usually teenage boys—were hired to sit at the end of the lane and reset pins by hand after every frame. It was low pay and high risk, dodging stray bowling balls all day. The automatic pinsetter invention bowled this job right out of existence.

8. Milkman

Thomas, John on Wikimedia Commons

Before grocery stores dominated, milkmen delivered fresh milk daily, often in glass bottles left on porches. They were a familiar face in neighborhoods and even brought butter or eggs. Their early morning routes made them part of daily routines. Refrigeration, supermarkets, and changing lifestyles eventually made the job disappear.

9. Typist/Typing Pool

Library of Congress on Wikimedia Commons

Companies once hired entire rooms full of typists to handle documents, memos, and correspondence. Mostly women, they typed with precision and speed on clunky typewriters. It was a staple office job through the mid-20th century. However, once computers came in, everyone became their own typist.

10. Elevator Operator

Adolph B. Rice Studio on Wikimedia Commons

Operating elevators used to be a skilled job—especially when they were manually controlled with levers, not buttons. These operators wore uniforms, greeted you, and ensured smooth rides between floors. In big cities, they were even considered part of the building’s charm, but automation eventually pushed them out of the lift.

11. Leech Collector

Tony Hisgett on Wikimedia Commons

Yes, this was a real job. In the 1800s, medicine loved leeches, and collectors would wade into swamps to gather them for doctors and apothecaries. They often used their own legs as bait, which was… unpleasant, to say the least. Eventually, modern medicine and lab-grown leeches ended this very weird gig.