Throughout history, people have taken on some truly bizarre and unpleasant jobs to survive. From handling human waste to wading through swamps filled with leeches, these professions were as strange as they were necessary to the times. While they might make modern-day jobs seem like a breeze, they also highlight the lengths people went to for survival. Here are 15 weird jobs from history you’ll be grateful to leave in the past.
1. Rat Catcher
In cities overrun with rats, professional rat catchers were hired to control the rodent population. Armed with simple tools and quick reflexes, they hunted disease-carrying vermin in sewers and homes. It was dangerous work, with the constant risk of bites and infections. Some even carried live rats to use as bait, which seems like a nightmare in itself.
2. Knocker-Up
Before alarm clocks, people relied on “knocker-ups” to wake them. These human alarms tapped on windows with long poles or shot peas at glass panes to rouse clients. The job required punctuality and stealth—no one wanted a broken window instead of a gentle wake-up call. It’s hard to imagine paying someone to throw things at your house every morning.
3. Gong Farmer
In medieval England, someone had to clean out the cesspits, and that someone was a gong farmer. They worked at night, scooping human waste from pits and transporting it away. The stench was unbearable, and the work was highly unsanitary. The only upside? It paid surprisingly well—though not well enough for most people to stomach it.
4. Leech Collector
Doctors once believed leeches could cure nearly anything, so leech collectors waded into swamps to gather these slimy creatures. Collectors often used their own legs as bait, letting leeches latch on before removing them. Beyond the physical discomfort, the job could cause blood loss and infections. It’s safe to say this was not a dream career.
5. Whipping Boy
When young princes misbehaved, someone else often took the punishment: the whipping boy. This bizarre system was supposed to teach royals the consequences of their actions by punishing an innocent companion. It’s a job that makes modern babysitting look like a dream gig.
6. Resurrectionist
In the 18th and 19th centuries, medical schools needed cadavers for dissection, but supply was limited. Enter the resurrectionists, or body snatchers, who dug up graves to sell fresh corpses. It was illegal, risky, and morbid work. The public’s outrage made this one of history’s most despised professions.
7. Mudlark
Mudlarks scavenged riverbanks for valuables in the mud and muck. In 19th-century London, they waded through the filthy Thames, hunting for lost coins, tools, or other items to sell. It was dirty, dangerous, and poorly paid. Many mudlarks were children, adding a heartbreaking layer to this grim occupation.
8. Sin-Eater
In some cultures, sin-eaters were hired to “consume” a deceased person’s sins. They would eat a piece of bread placed on the dead body, symbolically absorbing their wrongdoings. While the job offered a living, sin-eaters were often ostracized, seen as spiritually tainted. It’s a haunting reminder of how far some people went to make a living.
9. Fuller
Fullers worked in the textile industry, cleaning wool with urine. Yes, urine. It was used for its ammonia, which helped remove grease from the fibers. This meant fullers spent their days stomping on fabric in vats of the foul-smelling liquid. The job was essential but far from glamorous.
10. Tosher
Much like mudlarks, toshers worked in sewers, searching for coins, jewelry, and other valuables. Crawling through the filth of 19th-century London, they risked disease and injury from toxic gases or collapsing tunnels. The payoff was unpredictable, and the dangers were constant.
11. Rat-Baiter
Rat-baiters bred and trained rats for use in gruesome bloodsports, where dogs would kill as many rodents as possible in a set time. Crowds bet on the outcomes, turning rat-baiting into a form of grim entertainment. It was a cruel job for the animals and unpleasant work for the humans involved.
12. Matchstick Maker
In the 19th century, making matches involved handling white phosphorus, a toxic substance. Workers often developed “phossy jaw,” a painful and disfiguring disease. The job required long hours in dangerous conditions, all for pitifully low pay. The invention of safer matches thankfully put this job to rest.
13. Loblolly Boy
On naval ships, loblolly boys assisted surgeons by holding patients down during surgeries and cleaning up afterward. In an era before anesthesia or antiseptics, the job was not for the faint of heart. These young assistants were often exposed to gruesome sights and serious infections.
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14. Powder Monkey
During naval battles, powder monkeys were young boys tasked with carrying gunpowder to cannons. The job was dangerous, as they worked under fire and near volatile explosives. Many were orphans or from poor families, making it one of the few options available to them.
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15. Catgut Maker
Stringed instruments once relied on strings made from animal intestines, known as catgut (though it didn’t come from cats). Workers cleaned, stretched, and dried intestines to produce the strings. The process was messy and smelled terrible, but it was vital for the music of the time.