Jobs That No Longer Exist Today- #5
By DB
@dgobucks226 (34369)
September 15, 2019 1:05pm CST
Continuing my series on interesting/strange occupations gone due to societal and technological changes. You might find this an educational read. Thanks for checking it out and responding...
"Buggy Whip Maker"
The buggy whip industry was thriving in the 1890s with thousands of companies producing the accessory for the horse drawn carriage. What a triving business to have until 1908 when...The Ford Motor Company unveils its Model-T at a transportation event. This technological innovation vanquished the horse and carriage industry and by the early 20th century the automobile replaced the horse and carriage. And along with that the need for a buggy whip.
The buggy whip manufacturers tried to change the product to make it more appealing by offering the whip in different colors, sizes, and improving the material used to make them. They even made TWO-FOR- ONE deals but their sales continued to drop until the industry went out of business.
The whip makers should of realizied once the first automobile drove into town that their companies were doomed? If only they could of produced a different product to accessorize the Model T. Or did they cling to the hope that most people would reject these noisy cars?
Now there's a history lesson for small business owners. One must adapt to the changing times!
BTW: Buggy whips have not become completely extinct. Perhaps there is a market for them afterall. Question for today: Do you know where these whips might still be popular?
Sources- msn-lovemoney.com & linkedin.com
Photo- therobinreport.com
9 people like this
11 responses
@Raine38 (12257)
• United States
15 Sep 19
I am not sure if someone already mentioned this, but I can think of one job that no longer exists because of alarm clocks: the waker or caller - I am not sure if that is how or what you call them. So basically they go from house to house with a stick and would knock on doors or windows to wake up the clients who need to be roused up in that hour. It must have been a very interesting job!
It does make me wonder though - who wakes the waker?
3 people like this
@dgobucks226 (34369)
•
18 Sep 19
I did post something like that a little while back. An interesting job for sure. I believe the title was "Knocker Upper." I guess they would be fired if they failed to wake up after a night on the town. 
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104632)
• United States
15 Sep 19
Rodeos probably still use the whip, or cattle ranchers.
I watched a series once about the most difficult / disgusting jobs depending on the century and / or decade. I found it on youtube. There are quite a few jobs out there that people should be glad are no longer a necessity of today.
2 people like this
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104632)
• United States
18 Sep 19
@dgobucks226 It is amazing that they survived. They must have had their irons in other fires to survive that. I mean, they probably took a huge hit when automobiles started replacing the horse, but they were able to survive all these years regardless.
I think one of the saddest but most interesting is that of the boys who would sweep out the coal in locomotive (trains). I am certain they suffered from lung ailments the entirety of their lives, which were probably shorter than most.
1 person likes this
@dgobucks226 (34369)
•
18 Sep 19
Yes, those are some good examples. Horse racing was also mentioned. I find this topic very interesting not only in a historical way, but also what products replaced them.
Fun fact- There is still one whip manufacturer, Westfield Whip, still operating in Westfield, Mass. They claim their the only survivor from the 42 whip manufacturers that operated there in the 19th century.
1 person likes this
@dgobucks226 (34369)
•
20 Sep 19
@ScribbledAdNauseum Oh yes some of the child labor jobs were extremely dangerous for sure! There was a job called breaker boy where they would sit on wooden seats, perched over the chutes and conveyor belts, picking out coal impurities.
Often times, because the coal was sharp, the boys would cut their fingers to the point of bleeding. The machinery around the mills was also very dangerous Many would lose their fingers from rapidly moving conveyer belts which carried the coal, and it was not unusual for feet, hands and arms to be amputated from the belts and gears.
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (169965)
• United States
15 Sep 19
Yes, I would say buggy whip makers have fallen on hard times..
2 people like this
@snowy22315 (169965)
• United States
21 Sep 19
@TheHorse They make almost everything...I would guess they handcraft them, but not certain.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (205771)
• Walnut Creek, California
21 Sep 19
@dgobucks226 I wonder where they get them. Or do they make them?
2 people like this
@dgobucks226 (34369)
•
18 Sep 19
I second that....
Of course in Dutch Pennsylvania Country the buggy whip is still very popular to the Amish community there.
Of course in Dutch Pennsylvania Country the buggy whip is still very popular to the Amish community there.1 person likes this
@dgobucks226 (34369)
•
18 Sep 19
That's a good idea. Whips in some form are still used in horse racing. Fun fact- There is still one whip manufacturer, Westfield Whip, still operating in Westfield, Mass. They claim their the only survivor from the 42 whip manufacturers that operated there in the 19th century.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (205771)
• Walnut Creek, California
18 Sep 19
@dgobucks226 Interesting info!
1 person likes this
@just4him (306245)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
18 Sep 19
@dgobucks226 We have an Amish community here too.
I'm sure they would have.
1 person likes this
@dgobucks226 (34369)
•
18 Sep 19
Yes, whips are still used in horse racing events. Also, in Dutch Pennsylvania Country the buggy whip is still very popular to the Amish community there.
If they had shifted their thinking from producing whips to manufacturing auto materials like leather seats they might have remained in business.
1 person likes this
@dgobucks226 (34369)
•
20 Sep 19
@just4him Where in Wisconsin are they located? I know Ohio has Amish communities too. I visited one.
1 person likes this
@dgobucks226 (34369)
•
18 Sep 19
Yes, it is. Many businesses unable to adapt suffer this fate. If they had shifted their thinking from producing whips to manufacturing auto materials like leather seats they might have remained in business.
@TheHorse (205771)
• Walnut Creek, California
21 Sep 19
@dgobucks226 There's no longer a need for skilled and muscular young men to build hay stacks. Roundies are huge, and machines stack them up.
1 person likes this
@dgobucks226 (34369)
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20 Sep 19
Not on the list. How did roundies replace this job?
1 person likes this
@dgobucks226 (34369)
•
18 Sep 19
Yes, some good points there. Whips are still used in horse racing and the Amish in Pennsylvania require them where buggy's are still used instead of autos.
1 person likes this
@porwest (78761)
• United States
17 Sep 19
While not the huge market they once were, yes...I could still see a market for them. I mean, even in some of the bigger cities they offer horse and buggy rides and I would suspect they use them there. But I know very little about the matter.
1 person likes this
@dgobucks226 (34369)
•
18 Sep 19
Good point! Fun fact- There is still one whip manufacturer, Westfield Whip, still operating in Westfield, Mass. They claim their the only survivor from the 42 whip manufacturers that operated there in the 19th century.
1 person likes this
@porwest (78761)
• United States
21 Sep 19
@dgobucks226 lol. I thought you might appreciate that joke.
1 person likes this
@Writingghost (5196)
• United States
15 Sep 19
Yes, there is one place where they still have these in the community. So I presume the whips wear out.
2 people like this
@dgobucks226 (34369)
•
18 Sep 19
Their is still some places where whips are still used like horse racing. Also, in Dutch Pennsylvania Country the buggy whip is still very popular to the Amish community there.
