Human Alarm Clock

[Wizzo]

It’s a historical fact that many decent and honest professions no longer exist because of humankind’s incredible technological advancements. One such case is the so-called job of the "man alarm clock."

This profession was particularly popular in England and Ireland. It developed at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution and lasted until the early days of the twentieth century. Way before modern technology and before people began to trust handmade or electronic clocks there was the “man alarm clock.”

You’re probably wondering by now exactly what his job consisted of. What else? Waking his “customers” so that they could get to work on time.

The "man alarm clock" used a long stick made of bamboo to knock on the windows or doors of his clients, which in many cases allowed him to reach even the highest windows on the upper floors. The "man alarm clock" could be annoying and wouldn't stop knocking the window until he was sure that the customer had woken up and would not go back to sleep. His payment was just a few pennies a week from each client, which means he could have collected a significant amount if he had many satisfied customers.

This profession was particularly popular in large industrial cities such London and practised mostly by elderly men and women, or even by police officers on their morning patrols in order to make some extra cash.

[cosworth151]

I'll bet they were every bit as popular as that &#$@&! that used to blow Reveille at 0 Dark Thirty every morning.   

[F1fanaticBD]

We still have this in our country, more of like maintaining tradition. The youth of the community voluntarily organize and then starts their work only in the month of Ramadan so people can get up before sunrise from the fasting begins. Every community has their own pattern of methods.

[Scott]

We've got one here...they are called train workers though....sure Ian knows about this.  The way it works is the local train company creates a maintenance depot at our train station, hires some barely functioning humans as so called 'train workers', and promptly at 7am each morning (Sundays excepted), they fire up their stinky diesel work engine and any other power tools they can find lying around.  The automatic wake up is not only about noise, but also exhaust smell.  Nobody can sleep through it. 

Our only payment?  Well, we have a secret stash of year-old coffee beans, and 3 day old croissants, so when they come in for their scheduled 9am-10am coffee break, they get only the best 

[Ian]

Trains weren't my job Scott, I worked on the tracks, keeping them right for brain dead train drivers.