A knocker-upper was paid to wake people up by tapping on their windows with a long pole before alarm clocks were common.

Which of these was a REAL job in history?

A pinsetter manually reset bowling pins and returned balls before automatic pinsetting machines were invented.

A lector was hired to read newspapers, books, and political writings aloud to factory workers—especially in cigar factories—while they worked.

A town crier publicly announced news, proclamations, and events in the streets before widespread literacy and newspapers.

Ice cutters harvested large blocks of ice from frozen lakes and rivers before refrigeration existed, delivering them for food storage and cooling.

A lamplighter manually lit, extinguished, and maintained street lamps—especially gas lamps—before electric lighting became standard.

The Groom of the Stool was a highly trusted royal servant who assisted the king with toileting and managed intimate personal affairs.

A gong farmer cleaned out cesspits and privies at night, removing human waste before modern sewage systems existed.

Toshers scavenged through sewers, riverbanks, and drains in search of valuable scraps, coins, and lost items.

A faker hand-colored black-and-white photographs before color film existed, adding pigments to bring images to life. The job faded as cameras advanced, but some artists still colorize old photos today.

A billy boy was a young assistant on sailing vessels and coastal barges, helping the crew with basic ship duties, messages, and day-to-day tasks.

Flatulists were performers who entertained audiences by controlling and musicalizing flatulence — the most famous being Le Pétomane in 19th-century France.

A leech collector gathered live leeches from ponds and marshes—often by letting them attach to their legs—to supply doctors for bloodletting treatments.

Powder monkeys were young boys on naval ships who carried gunpowder from the magazine to the cannons during battle — a dangerous but essential role.

A whipping boy was assigned to be punished in place of a young prince, who was considered too important to discipline directly.

“Lungs” worked in alchemists’ shops between the 14th and 16th centuries, manually fanning fires until their own lungs blackened from smoke—eventually causing the job to be discontinued.

A herb strewer scattered fragrant herbs and flowers across floors at royal events to mask foul smells and create a pleasant atmosphere before modern sanitation existed.

A crossing sweeper cleared mud, waste, and debris from street crossings so wealthy pedestrians could walk without dirtying their clothes in Victorian cities.

In ancient Rome, vomit collectors served wealthy banquet guests by holding receptacles for them to puke into, cleaning floors, and wiping up splashes—often being vomited on themselves.

Breaker boys were young children—often only eight to twelve—who sorted coal by hand, removing impurities in extremely dangerous conditions.

Plague doctors were appointed during 17th-century outbreaks of bubonic plague. Though iconic today, they were often inexperienced physicians or volunteers who provided little effective treatment and sometimes caused more harm than good.

Breaker boys were young children—often just eight to twelve—who sorted coal by hand, breaking it apart to remove impurities.

Rat catchers patrolled Victorian streets capturing rats to reduce infestations, usually killing them with poison. The work was dangerous due to constant exposure to bites and disease.

Elevator operators controlled manual elevators using levers and precise timing. Some even acted as tour guides.

Human computers were people—often highly skilled women—who performed complex mathematical calculations by hand long before digital computers existed.

Toad doctors were folk healers in the 17th–19th centuries who used live or powdered toads to treat skin conditions. Patients sometimes wore toads around their necks or applied dried toad powder to their ailments.

Think today’s jobs are weird? History was full of professions so bizarre you’ll swear we made them up. Three are fake, one actually existed — can you spot the real job from the past?