Before Alarm Clocks, There Were ‘Knocker-Uppers’

Imagine life without alarm clocks. Workdays would start at noon, breakfast would be brunch, and no one would make it to class before the first bell. From the early 1800s through the 1960s, factory workers didn’t have much of a choice. To get to work on time, they relied on “knocker-uppers,” aka, human alarm clocks. Using long bamboo sticks, or peashooters, Britain’s knocker-uppers would stroll down the streets rapping at windows to help their patrons kick-start their days.

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[Kidsnd]

Imagine being the knocker-upper and you overslept. You have just made a 100 people late for their jobs.

[audreyandremington]

I have two of those!
They're called *parents* .
😐

[schtinky]

Knocker uppers came about before the milkman showed up and started knocking up other people's wives. The knocker uppers are called knocker uppers for a reason.

[zainsinclair]

Imagine being the dude responsible for waking up like 100 people. You sleep in one day and single-handedly collapse the economy of a whole district.

[Auriam]

In my day, they just called them studs.

[y.ciftci]

"Knocker-upper"

This has to be the most bri'ish thing that i heard today

[araara]

In my hometown they still wake everybody up. At the time of Ramzan their job is to go street to street at 3:00 am to shout 'wakhte seher' meaning 'morning time'. At the end of the month they get gifts from the people they have woken up.

[cristianv]

"So the big question is who knocks up the Knocker Upper?" This man just created a freaking paradox.

[dust]

Knock knock.
Who's there?
You got knocked up by the knocked upper, *but in a lewd way*

[NaiefThegoony]

I feel like in the future they're gonna be like " collecting garbage was a job ?"

[darianarock]

Just hearing the alarm clock gave me anxiety

[Cyrx]

That end is classic British. You guys always crack me up. Love it.

[pupmups-rqcc]

"We had a knocker-up and a knocker-up had a knocker-up. And a knocker-up's knocker-up didn't knock on knocker-up. So our knocker-up didn't knock us up, Because he's not up."

[dgray]

"Lies, no one existed before I was born." -some kid

[dharanen]

So they knock the windows like that meaning the myth about ghosts are just knocker uppers

[HoustonHeartStopper]

I don’t need knocker uppers. There’s a garbage truck that wakes me up every morning.

[csg.k]

0:23
"Do I sit here or..."
Yes, you sit in the only chair with a backdrop and industrial lights with the camera facing it.

[Skankhunt-xrlb]

Waking up is the hardest thing in the morning

[lasagnapapa]

Sleep:
These guys: I’m about to start this whole mans career

[adrianmilward]

Finally a job i'm qualified for !!