16 Odd Jobs That Don’t Exist Anymore
Work has always reflected the needs and technologies of the times, and some occupations that once seemed essential have completely vanished. From human alarm clocks to factory readers, the workforce of the past included roles that sound strange or unnecessary today.
- Tricia Quitales
- 5 min read
Looking at these former roles highlights how economic shifts and technological advancements can completely reshape what people do for a living. These odd jobs were once common in daily life but are now only found in museum exhibits or old photographs. Some required unusual skills, while others simply filled gaps that machines or systems have since closed. While these professions are no longer needed, they serve as reminders of how adaptable human work has always been.
1. Knocker-upper
Nationaal Archief on Wikimedia
Before alarm clocks became affordable, people hired someone to knock on their windows to wake them up. Knocker-uppers used long sticks or pea shooters to rouse sleeping workers for early shifts. It was a reliable job, especially in industrial towns. Once alarm clocks became widespread, the profession faded out.
2. Switchboard operator
Unknown author or not provided on Wikimedia
Switchboard operators manually connected calls by plugging wires into a large board. These workers were crucial in early telecommunication systems. As automated switching took over, the human element became unnecessary. The role disappeared with the rise of digital telephony.
3. Ice cutter
Daderot on Wikimedia
Before electric refrigeration, ice cutters harvested blocks of ice from frozen lakes. These blocks were stored in ice houses and delivered to homes. It was dangerous, seasonal work requiring strength and precision. The invention of modern refrigerators ended the need for ice delivery.
4. Lamplighter
Jim Griffin on Wikimedia
Lamplighters walked the streets at dusk, lighting gas lamps one by one. At dawn, they extinguished them by hand. They were a fixture in cities long before the advent of electric streetlights. Once electricity became the standard, lamplighters were no longer needed.
5. Milkman
Keystone View Co on Wikimedia
Milkmen delivered fresh bottles of milk directly to people’s homes every morning. This job ensured milk was available before the widespread adoption of refrigeration. As grocery stores and refrigeration became common, daily delivery lost its appeal. The milkman eventually disappeared from most neighborhoods.
6. Elevator operator
Bain on Wikimedia
Early elevators required manual operation to stop at the correct floor. Operators also reassured nervous riders and managed the controls. As elevators became automated and user-friendly, this role declined. Today, most buildings no longer require a person to operate an elevator.
7. Lector
Unknown author on Wikimedia
Lectors were hired to read newspapers, novels, or political commentary aloud in factories to keep workers entertained. Popular in cigar factories, especially in Cuba and the U.S., they boosted morale and helped inform workers. The rise of radios and other entertainment sources made the job obsolete. Today, this once-vital role is largely forgotten.
8. Pinsetter
Unknown photographer, 1890-1910 on Wikimedia
Before machines automated the process, human pinsetters manually reset bowling pins. It was often a job for teenagers or part-time workers. The role required quick reflexes and coordination. Automatic pin-setting machines replaced the need for human workers in bowling alleys.
9. Rat catcher
George Grantham Bain Collection on WIkimedia
Cities once employed rat catchers to control rodent populations in urban areas. Using traps, poison, and sometimes dogs, they worked in unsanitary and risky conditions. As pest control services became professionalized and more regulated, the job disappeared. Modern exterminators now handle similar work with advanced methods.
10. Human computer
NASA on WIkimedia
Before electronic computers, people — often women — performed complex calculations by hand for scientific, engineering, and astronomical purposes. These “human computers” were critical in early NASA projects and wartime calculations. Eventually, digital computers took over these mathematical tasks. The role is now a fascinating footnote in the history of technology.
11. Soda jerk
Unknown author on Wikimedia
Soda jerks worked at drugstore counters, preparing fizzy drinks and ice cream treats. They were often young, charismatic workers who served up root beer floats and phosphates. As fast-food chains and self-service models gained popularity, soda fountains declined. The soda jerk role went with them.
12. Typist pool worker
usembfinland on Wikimedia
Companies once employed large groups of typists to handle all written communication. This pool of workers typed letters, reports, and memos by hand or typewriter. As computers became widespread, individuals began handling their own documents. The need for full-time typists quickly declined.
13. Log driver
Unknown author on Wikimedia
Log drivers stood on floating logs, guiding them down rivers to sawmills using poles and brute balance. It was dangerous, wet work requiring skill and fearlessness. As trucking and rail transport became more efficient, this river-based method ended. Log driving now exists only in stories and festivals.
14. Telegraph operator
Esther Bubley on Wikimedia
Telegraph operators sent and received coded messages using Morse code. They were essential to early long-distance communication. The introduction of the telephone and later the internet rendered the telegraph system obsolete. The position faded away along with the technology.
15. Resurrectionist
Public domain on Wikimedia
In the 18th and 19th centuries, resurrectionists — or body snatchers — supplied medical schools with cadavers. They often exhumed bodies illegally to meet demand for anatomical study. While once grimly necessary, better regulation and legal donations replaced the practice. This dark profession has no place in modern medical science.
16. Phrenologist
Peter Sekaer on Wikimedia
Phrenologists claimed they could determine personality traits by examining skull bumps. It was a popular pseudoscience in the 19th century. Over time, it was discredited by modern psychology and neurology. No legitimate science today supports or employs phrenology.