Mary Smith, a “knocker-upper” who earned sixpence a week shooting dried peas at windows to wake people for work (East London, 1930s)

    by PixelTemptressll

    26 Comments

    1. Peak alarm clock before smartphones: Mary Smith, sixpence sniper, launching dried peas at windows like precision wake-up artillery daily heroes.

    2. We use to cut the ends off shoelaces and slide a pin or needle through. Disassemble a white bic pen and instant blow dart.

      The good times.

    3. BlondieBabe436 on

      I’d like this better than an alarm clock. It’s social interaction. She wakes you up, you say “Hi! Thanks!” and she moves on to the next neighbors. Or one day you would be like “Not today Mary” and she shoots a pea right into your eye.

    4. ReggaeReggaeBob on

      I can just imagine the feeling of dread as you hear those pings get closer and closer to your window as I mentally prepare myself for a 13 hour shift in the asbestos mine

    5. “Mary, can you wake me up at 7:00?”
      “No, at that time i am up-knocking someone else already, i can do 7:25 or 7:50 every other Wednesday. I still have the 7:00 slot free at Sunday though…”

    6. Sobering I love about this photo is that she’s fat! History often wants to erase fat people, but humans have always come in every size

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