45 Odd Jobs That No Longer Exist

Have you ever wondered what kind of jobs people used to do in the past? If you ask your grandparents, chances are they’ll tell you tales of the most eccentric odd jobs that used to exist before technology came into play. If you are curious to know what they are, then check out the following odd jobs of the past that do not seem to exist anymore.

Ratteners

Out of all the jobs on this list, it's still hard to believe that this one was a job for some people back in the days. The people who used to catch rats were known as Ratteners. Back then, rats were caught for entertainment purposes in the pubs.

This happened in Victorian times, and dogs usually ate the rats. Later, when the infamous black plague spread out, the practice came in handy to minimize the spread of the disease.

Ice-Men

If you have watched the popular Disney movie Frozen, then you probably have a good idea about this occupation. Around the 1800s or so, professional ice-cutters had it big. Their main job was to cut ice, but it is not as easy as it may sound.

Starting from hand-carving huge blocks of ice on a daily basis to even transporting the goods, "ice-men" were responsible for helping people store their food during harsh weather conditions. However, this strenuous occupation became obsolete soon after refrigerators were introduced.

Gong Farmer

Based on a number of jobs on this list, we have noticed that people from the earlier centuries didn't quite know how to process human wastes. No wonder there were multiple jobs for this task. A gong farmer's job was no different.

In the middle of the 15th and 17th Century, gong farmers were tasked to dig out human wastes from privies and cesspits. Boy, did this job stink! We are grateful that this job stayed in that timeline alone.

Milkman

One of the most common scenes that used to play out in the early mornings of the '50s and '60s is the sight of a "milkman." Scouting mainly the suburbs, high-spirited milkmen used to deliver fresh dairy in jugs and other jars and bottles to the front doors of homeowners.

If luck was on your side, sometimes you'd find other kitchen and home essentials being brought to your doorsteps as well. However, the advance in technology brought refrigerators, which ultimately deemed the end of milkmen and their hearty profession.