Daily Writing Tips
, a site loaded with grammar goodies and one that will send you a free grammar tip every day of the year, posted something that caught my eye this week—unusual or obsolete occupations. Those of us who do family history research often bump into occupations we’ve never heard of before, and sometimes, even the recognizable job titles are not what they are today.
Daily Writing Tips provided a listing of seventy-five of these occupations. Many of these are no longer necessary, like an eggler, an egg seller, or a hayward, an official responsible for hedges and fences. How would you like to be a knocker-up, a professional waker, who literally knocks on doors or windows to rouse people from sleep?
Which one of these occupations would you want to practice? I’d like to be a lector, someone who reads to factory workers for entertainment. That sounds like a fun job, especially if I’m allowed to choose the books. No way would I want to be a resurrectionist, someone who digs up recently buried corpses for use as cadavers. It might be interesting to be a hobbler, a person who tows boats on a canal or river. I grew up watching tugboats push barges down the Bayou Teche. I’d like that. What about you? Tell us which of these occupations you’d like and hate to practice.
