Facts about the Human Alarm Clocks

Human Alarm Clock Facts 

Learning is good for the brain and your brain loves to learn new things!! So, I want to share a weird but interesting fact with you today from history.

Have you ever heard of the Knocker-Ups?

In the 19^th and the early 20^th century in Britain and Ireland alarm clocks were not cheap and they weren’t reliable. There was a profession known as the Knocker-Ups or Knocker-Uppers. The profession was to wake people up for their jobs so they could get to work on time. Yes, a job that pays a human to be an alarm clock. 

Usually, the job was performed by the elderly and sometimes constables. They would use heavy sticks to knock on their clients’ doors and long bamboo sticks to tap on upper windows. Some were known to have used dried pea shooters. Some would knock on doors or windows a few times and move on, and others would knock until they were sure the person was awake! The profession ceased by the early 1970s. What a weird, but amazing world we live in!! We sure have come a long way since then!! 

Now we rely on alarm clocks on our cell phones or other electronic devices. There are a variety of sounds you can choose from to set as the sound you want to be awaken to.

Books about alarm clocks:

1. The Noisy Clock Shop by Jean Berg

2. Maisy's First Clock: by Lucy Cousins

3. What's the Time, Clockodile? by Jonthan Litton

4. Clocks and More Clocks by Pat Hutchins

5. Telling Time: by Jules Older

6. Humble Math – 100 Days of Telling the Time by Humble Math

Parents please be sure the books are child friendly before reading them to your child/children.