I'm talking about [these guys] (http://genealogyresearchnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Knocker-up.jpg). Did the employer buy the knocker-up an alarm clock? Seems like this would save money (instead of buying everyone one, you just buy one for the knocker), but wikipedia tells me alarm clocks weren't very reliable in those days. The article didn't elaborate, so I came here. Any help?
This was actually a question on the recent series of QI. The answer apparently was that there was someone else who's job was 'a knocker upper's knocker upper'. Their job was to stay awake all night and then go and wake up the knocker uppers so that THEY could go on and wake everyone else up! I can't find the clip unfortunately but here's a transcript of the episode: http://www.comedy.co.uk/guide/tv/qi/episodes/11/1
