22 Workers From History Who Had It Way Worse Than You

Daniel Bonfiglio Published 08/28/2024 in wow

No matter how annoying your boss is in your dimly lit cubicle office job, it beats strapping a pickax to your back and taking a jam-packed elevator into a coal mine to breathe toxic fumes and hack away at rocks for 12 hours. And although Amazon and Walmart are trying to bring them back, at least you have the option of shopping outside of the company store.

Yes, work stinks, but many workers from the past had it way worse. Here are 22 photos to honor them, and remind you that things can always be worse.

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1.
Coal miners coming up in a coal mine elevator after a day of work in 1920's Belgium.
2.
Cotton mill workers, Georgia, 1909.
3.
A diamond mine worker is x-rayed at the end of each shift before leaving the mines. South Africa, 1954.
4.
A Chinese-American war worker in Los Angeles wore a handwritten sign on his back to avoid being mistaken for Japanese in 1942.
5.
Miners using an “aerial tram” to descend into the Kimberly Diamond Mine in South Africa, 1885.
6.
A utility worker giving mouth-to-mouth to a co-worker after he contacted a low voltage wire, Jacksonville, Florida. 1967. He survived, and lived until 2002.
7.
Pit pony and miner in a mine in New Aberdeen, Nova Scotia. 1946.
8.
Coal miner waiting to get into the communal shower at the end of his shift, taken in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, 1958.
9.
10-year-old worker at a textile mill in Lincolnton, North Carolina. November 1908.
10.
A Chinese tin worker carrying ingots at a British smelting plant in Malaya, 1941.
11.
A female worker cleans the rifling of a 15-inch naval gun after being lifted inside the barrel at the Coventry Ordnance Works during the first world war.
12.
Workers at the American Woolen Company, Lawrence, Massachusetts, 1935.
13.
Serra Pelada gold mine, Brazil, 1986.
14.
Workers clearing snow from a railroad, Alaska, 1904.
15.
Residents of a invalid home for disabled railway employees, modern day Belarus, 1901.
16.
Child coal miner, West Virginia, 1908.
17.
A construction worker carries a sack across a beam working on a 71-story skyscraper on 40 Wall Street, New York City, 1930.
18.
Coal miner and a canary used to warn of dangerous gasses underground, England, 1970s.
19.
Shorpy Higginbotham, a “greaser” on the tipple at Bessie Mine, IN the Sloss-Sheffield Steel and Iron Co in Alabama.
20.
Workers at the Sloss-Sheffield Steel and Iron Co., Jefferson County Alabama, 1910.
21.
An Empire State builder hanging on a crane above New York City, 1930.
22.
Medical workers of a psychiatric clinic practice the technique of catching “violent lunatics,” 1903.

1.
Coal miners coming up in a coal mine elevator after a day of work in 1920's Belgium.
2.
Cotton mill workers, Georgia, 1909.
3.
A diamond mine worker is x-rayed at the end of each shift before leaving the mines. South Africa, 1954.
4.
A Chinese-American war worker in Los Angeles wore a handwritten sign on his back to avoid being mistaken for Japanese in 1942.
5.
Miners using an “aerial tram” to descend into the Kimberly Diamond Mine in South Africa, 1885.
6.
A utility worker giving mouth-to-mouth to a co-worker after he contacted a low voltage wire, Jacksonville, Florida. 1967. He survived, and lived until 2002.
7.
Pit pony and miner in a mine in New Aberdeen, Nova Scotia. 1946.
8.
Coal miner waiting to get into the communal shower at the end of his shift, taken in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, 1958.
9.
10-year-old worker at a textile mill in Lincolnton, North Carolina. November 1908.
10.
A Chinese tin worker carrying ingots at a British smelting plant in Malaya, 1941.
11.
A female worker cleans the rifling of a 15-inch naval gun after being lifted inside the barrel at the Coventry Ordnance Works during the first world war.
12.
Workers at the American Woolen Company, Lawrence, Massachusetts, 1935.
13.
Serra Pelada gold mine, Brazil, 1986.
14.
Workers clearing snow from a railroad, Alaska, 1904.
15.
Residents of a invalid home for disabled railway employees, modern day Belarus, 1901.
16.
Child coal miner, West Virginia, 1908.
17.
A construction worker carries a sack across a beam working on a 71-story skyscraper on 40 Wall Street, New York City, 1930.
18.
Coal miner and a canary used to warn of dangerous gasses underground, England, 1970s.
19.
Shorpy Higginbotham, a “greaser” on the tipple at Bessie Mine, IN the Sloss-Sheffield Steel and Iron Co in Alabama.
20.
Workers at the Sloss-Sheffield Steel and Iron Co., Jefferson County Alabama, 1910.
21.
An Empire State builder hanging on a crane above New York City, 1930.
22.
Medical workers of a psychiatric clinic practice the technique of catching “violent lunatics,” 1903.

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NEXT GALLERY 21 Awe-Inspiring Space and Nature Pics for Your Ocular Enjoyment

1. Coal miners coming up in a coal mine elevator after a day of work in 1920's Belgium.

2. Cotton mill workers, Georgia, 1909.

3. A diamond mine worker is x-rayed at the end of each shift before leaving the mines. South Africa, 1954.

4. A Chinese-American war worker in Los Angeles wore a handwritten sign on his back to avoid being mistaken for Japanese in 1942.

5. Miners using an “aerial tram” to descend into the Kimberly Diamond Mine in South Africa, 1885.

6. A utility worker giving mouth-to-mouth to a co-worker after he contacted a low voltage wire, Jacksonville, Florida. 1967. He survived, and lived until 2002.

7. Pit pony and miner in a mine in New Aberdeen, Nova Scotia. 1946.

8. Coal miner waiting to get into the communal shower at the end of his shift, taken in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, 1958.

9. 10-year-old worker at a textile mill in Lincolnton, North Carolina. November 1908.

10. A Chinese tin worker carrying ingots at a British smelting plant in Malaya, 1941.

11. A female worker cleans the rifling of a 15-inch naval gun after being lifted inside the barrel at the Coventry Ordnance Works during the first world war.

12. Workers at the American Woolen Company, Lawrence, Massachusetts, 1935.

13. Serra Pelada gold mine, Brazil, 1986.

14. Workers clearing snow from a railroad, Alaska, 1904.

15. Residents of a invalid home for disabled railway employees, modern day Belarus, 1901.

16. Child coal miner, West Virginia, 1908.

17. A construction worker carries a sack across a beam working on a 71-story skyscraper on 40 Wall Street, New York City, 1930.

18. Coal miner and a canary used to warn of dangerous gasses underground, England, 1970s.

19. Shorpy Higginbotham, a “greaser” on the tipple at Bessie Mine, IN the Sloss-Sheffield Steel and Iron Co in Alabama.

20. Workers at the Sloss-Sheffield Steel and Iron Co., Jefferson County Alabama, 1910.

21. An Empire State builder hanging on a crane above New York City, 1930.

22. Medical workers of a psychiatric clinic practice the technique of catching “violent lunatics,” 1903.

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1.
Coal miners coming up in a coal mine elevator after a day of work in 1920's Belgium.

2.
Cotton mill workers, Georgia, 1909.

3.
A diamond mine worker is x-rayed at the end of each shift before leaving the mines. South Africa, 1954.

4.
A Chinese-American war worker in Los Angeles wore a handwritten sign on his back to avoid being mistaken for Japanese in 1942.

5.
Miners using an “aerial tram” to descend into the Kimberly Diamond Mine in South Africa, 1885.

6.
A utility worker giving mouth-to-mouth to a co-worker after he contacted a low voltage wire, Jacksonville, Florida. 1967. He survived, and lived until 2002.

7.
Pit pony and miner in a mine in New Aberdeen, Nova Scotia. 1946.

8.
Coal miner waiting to get into the communal shower at the end of his shift, taken in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, 1958.

9.
10-year-old worker at a textile mill in Lincolnton, North Carolina. November 1908.

10.
A Chinese tin worker carrying ingots at a British smelting plant in Malaya, 1941.

11.
A female worker cleans the rifling of a 15-inch naval gun after being lifted inside the barrel at the Coventry Ordnance Works during the first world war.

12.
Workers at the American Woolen Company, Lawrence, Massachusetts, 1935.

13.
Serra Pelada gold mine, Brazil, 1986.

14.
Workers clearing snow from a railroad, Alaska, 1904.

15.
Residents of a invalid home for disabled railway employees, modern day Belarus, 1901.

16.
Child coal miner, West Virginia, 1908.

17.
A construction worker carries a sack across a beam working on a 71-story skyscraper on 40 Wall Street, New York City, 1930.

18.
Coal miner and a canary used to warn of dangerous gasses underground, England, 1970s.

19.
Shorpy Higginbotham, a “greaser” on the tipple at Bessie Mine, IN the Sloss-Sheffield Steel and Iron Co in Alabama.

20.
Workers at the Sloss-Sheffield Steel and Iron Co., Jefferson County Alabama, 1910.

21.
An Empire State builder hanging on a crane above New York City, 1930.

22.
Medical workers of a psychiatric clinic practice the technique of catching “violent lunatics,” 1903.