The worst jobs in history

[jw5]

The worst jobs in history​

Some people are born into families so rich that they are financially set for life. Unfortunately for the rest of us, we have to go to work!
And while some of us are lucky enough to make a living doing what we love, others are stuck doing jobs they can only tolerate at best. But even those in the worst jobs today (think of the poor maggot farmers...) have it better than those stuck with the least desirable jobs in years gone by.

 

[jw5]

Vomit collector​

In addition to building roads and developing sanitation, the Romans are often remembered for their hedonistic parties, at which they would eat and drink to high heaven.

Once full, they would actually induce vomiting to make room for more food, at which point they called on the services of their trusty vomit collectors to empty and clean their buckets!

 

[jw5]

Groom of the stool​

For centuries, it was unthinkable for a monarch to frequent the bathroom alone. It was the job of one lucky aristocrat to accompany and aid the king or queen with all things bathroom-related.

The intimate nature of the role meant that the groom of the stool often became a sort of confidante for the monarch, sometimes raising his status within the royal court.

 

[jw5]

Violin string maker​

Back in the day, the job of building a violin was much worse than it is today: violin strings used to be made by weaving together strands of sheep innards.

Thanks to the 17th-century revolution in violin string making, this practice is now less common. Although, some performers do still opt for sheep gut strings for their specific sound!

 

[jw5]

Rat catcher​

By the 19th century, rats had earned a reputation as talented disease spreaders, and a (un)lucky few Victorians were tasked with catching the rodents.

Professional rat catchers would cover themselves in oils to attract the rats, and then they would kill them with their bare hands. Sometimes they would use dogs, but not always.

 

[blackmondy]

https://goodyfeed.com/check-out-the-best-job-that-pays-70000-professional-fart-smeller/

 

[jw5]

Match girl​

While the job itself merely involved dipping wood in phosphorus solution, exposure to the fumes emitted by the solution caused a terrible condition later known as "phossy jaw."

Anyone suffering with the condition, which was rife in the 19th and 20th centuries, saw their gums begin to abscess, sometimes to the point that the jaw had to be removed.

 

[nightsafari]

Groom of the stool​

For centuries, it was unthinkable for a monarch to frequent the bathroom alone. It was the job of one lucky aristocrat to accompany and aid the king or queen with all things bathroom-related.

The intimate nature of the role meant that the groom of the stool often became a sort of confidante for the monarch, sometimes raising his status within the royal court.

View attachment 131576

this one may have been bad during the act, but the bugger chosen had the best connections for life. compared to others born during that time, this job was not terrible.

have you checked out chimney sweep?

 

[jw5]

this one may have been bad during the act, but the bugger chosen had the best connections for life. compared to others born during that time, this job was not terrible.

have you checked out chimney sweep?

Roald Dahl wrote a story about this college kid (possibly himself) who had the "job" of warming his senior's toilet seat every morning. I guess that's still better than groom stool, as he would not have to stay in the toilet while the guy is shitting.

 

[nightsafari]

Roald Dahl wrote a story about this college kid (possibly himself) who had the "job" of warming his senior's toilet seat every morning. I guess that's still better than groom stool, as he would not have to stay in the toilet while the guy is shitting.

that may or may not be better. Apparently those seat warmers may or may not have had to do other "duties" as well.

 

[myfoot123]

The modern eunuch, of all shapes and colors, who polished their aristocrate leaders, truly loves the shitty jobs by the look of their expression. They don't clean shit, nor clear vomit, but they willingly sold their soul to their master and with no dignity left to talk about. It is too painful to watch.

 

[jw5]

The modern eunuch, of all shapes and colors, who polished their aristocrate leaders, truly loves the shitty jobs by the look of their expression. They don't clean shit, nor clear vomit, but they willingly sold their soul to their master and with no dignity left to talk about. It is too painful to watch.
View attachment 131703

They seem to be having a good time.

 

[myfoot123]

They seem to be having a good time.

Apparently, so are the walking dead.

 

[jw5]

Bone grubber​

In the scavenging economy of Victorian England, bone was considered a useful if not valuable material and was used to make personal items such as necklaces.

There was an occupation known as "bone grubbing," which involved scrounging around wherever possible, looking for matter to sell on to bone dealers.

 

[jw5]

Tanner​

During the Victorian era, the preservation of animal hides involved soaking them in lime, scraping off the fat, and then reimmersing them in dog feces.

Luckily, modern tanning methods are slightly less smelly and unpleasant, but tanning centers such as Fez in Morocco are still known for their strong stench.

 

[jw5]

Snake milker​

This job still exists today and involves extracting the venom from snakes to use as antivenom, a treatment for snake bites. An unpleasant, but very important job.

Anyone wishing to get into this profession can look forward to working with cobras, mambas, vipers, asps, corals, copperheads, kraits, sea snakes, and rattlesnakes.

 

[jw5]

Resurrectionist​

When the study of medicine was really taking off in the 19th century, scientists relied on resurrectionists, or "body snatchers," to dig up dead bodies for medical research.

The practice was, of course, illegal, but the job was very well paid, meaning that some body snatchers even resorted to killing in order to meet demand.

 

[jw5]

Tosher​

A tosher was a kind of scavenger in Victorian-era London who roamed the sewers looking for tradable goods. The term was also used to refer to thieves who stripped the copper off boats.

The job of a scavenger tosher was dangerous and extremely unpleasant, but also very lucrative: a full-time tosher earned enough to support around 200 people.

 

[jw5]

Mudlark​

These guys had the same role as toshers but in a different, although not necessarily healthier, location: the banks of the filthy River Thames.

Mudlarks were not so well off as toshers, but were nonetheless financially independent. Most mudlarks were young, normally between the age of eight and 15.

 

[jw5]

Chimney sweep​

Often reserved for small children who could squeeze their bodies into the narrow spaces, the role of chimney sweep involved clearing out ash and dust from chimneys.

The job was unpleasant to say the least, and it came with many occupational hazards, including the constant exposure to and inhalation of toxic substances.