Charles Nelson of East London worked as a knocker-up for 25 years. He woke up early morning workers such as doctors, market traders and drivers. 1929.
The knocker-upper profession started during and lasted well into the Industrial Revolution when alarm clocks were neither cheap nor reliable. A knocker-up’s job was to rouse sleeping people so they could get to work on time.
They would be paid a few pence a week to make the rounds and rouse workers, banging on their doors with a short stick or rapping on upper windows with a long pole. The knocker-up would not move on until he received confirmation that his drowsy client was up and moving.
Charles Nelson, wa London Mashariki, alifanya kazi ya kuhamisha mimba kwa miaka 25. Aliamsha wafanyakazi wa asubuhi kama vile madaktari, wafanyabiashara wa soko na madereva. Mwaka wa 1929. Kazi ya kupiga kengele ilianza wakati wa Mapinduzi ya Viwanda na iliendelea hadi wakati ambapo saa za kuamsha hazikuwa za bei nafuu wala zenye kutegemeka. Kazi ya mtunza-mimba ilikuwa kuwaamsha watu waliokuwa wamelala ili waweze kufika kazini kwa wakati. Walikuwa wakipokea senti chache kwa juma ili kufanya mzunguko na kuwaamsha wafanyakazi, wakipiga milango yao kwa fimbo fupi au kupiga madirisha ya juu kwa fimbo ndefu. Mfanya-mimba huyo hakutaka kuendelea na kazi hadi alipopokea uthibitisho kwamba mteja wake mwenye usingizi alikuwa ameamka na kuhamia.