Wanted: a young boy to serve as the loblolly boy aboard the newly constructed warship, HMS Victory.

Loblolly is a thick porridge, sometimes containing a bit of meat or some vegetables, given to the sick. Among much else, it is the loblolly boy's job to feed this dainty dish to ailing seamen on board ship.

As assistant to the ship's surgeon, you will ideally have a wide range of skills. Duties will include the issue of all supplies, provisions and hospital stores, and cleaning the cockpit (an area below deck near the stern of the ship) and all the medical equipment.

During operations, you will be responsible for providing charcoal to heat the irons used to sear amputated stumps and for heating the tar applied to stop haemorrhages. You may also be asked to gather up the severed limbs and throw them overboard. In the hierarchy of the ship, you will be somewhere between the cabin boy and a ship's rat – but then, the only way is up!

Tasks & duties

• Feeding ill crewmen.
• Assisting with medical procedures.
• Disposing of spare body bits.
• General cleaning duties.

Personal requirements

• Stocktaking skills.
• Cleaning and cooking skills.
• Nursing and surgical skills.
• A strong stomach and steady nerve.

Are you looking for your big acting break? Do you have a flair for performance and mimicry? Well, the Shakespeare Theatre is looking for a new whangam player to fill a number of roles. The old acting motto of never work with children and animals is strictly adhered to by this troupe of actors – oh and women are banned as well.

Your job will be to inhabit the roles of whatever animals are required to be in the play – usually horses and cows – although some of your more challenging roles may include rodents and types of fish. Typical material for your costumes will include actual animal flesh and lead-based paint, which will take days to remove from your skin.

Method actors may spend hours in the paddock studying the characteristics of the animal they’re playing. Despite your dedication to your craft, the whangam player is an under-appreciated role as no one in the audience will have any idea who you are.
Tasks & duties

• Playing a range of animal parts in the plays put on by the Shakespeare Theatre.
• Attending rehearsals and studying roles.
• Learning scripts (although you have no speaking parts).
• Assisting with costume design.

Personal requirements

• Previous acting experience desirable.
• An interest in drama and the theatre.
• Knowledge of animal movement and sounds.
• An ability to take direction and accept criticism.

Hampton Court Palace is looking for a new spitboy, or turnbrooch. You will be one of six who roast meat for the king and his company. At the very bottom of the kitchen ladder, or perhaps not even on the ladder, spitboys are supervised by a team of 12 cooks under the control of the master cook. Gordon Ramsay is a pussy cat compared with these guys.
The cold of the English winter will be a distant memory as you build up a nice tan in front of one of the six roaring fires in the kitchen, where you will be positioned hour after hour and day after day. Leftovers from the delicious roasted meats may be offered to you after the king, his noblemen, the stewards, the cooks, the maids and the dog have all had their share.
Tasks & duties

• Assisting with roasting duties.
• Regular turning of roasts to ensure consistent cooking.
• Cleaning the kitchen.

Personal requirements

• Ability to follow instructions (usually SIT! and TURN!).
• Patience.
• A calm attitude.
• Ability to work well under pressure.
  

Fancy a job with travel opportunities? As a reddleman, you'll need to cover many a mile selling pieces of red ochre, a clay that is naturally infused with iron oxide. Shepherds will be keen to do business with you as they use one of your concoctions – red ochre mixed with chalk, which is actually called reddle – for marking their sheep.

There is one small problem, however. The iron oxide will penetrate your clothes, skin, hair, horse, wagon and anything else it comes into contact with, so you will be continuously red in colour yourself. Expect to be feared by small children and taunted by slightly larger ones, and generally spend your time as a bit of an outcast.
The pay for your troubles will be small, but there's no point in arguing with any customers to get a better price until you're red in the face – they won't even notice.

Tasks & duties

• Travelling the country selling reddle.
• Helping customers choose the appropriate product.
• Negotiating prices with customers.
  

Personal requirements

• Customer service and sales skills.
• Basic maths skills.
• Ideally polite, friendly and helpful (but typically gruff, unfriendly and  downright rude!).

Are you an early bird? Do you prefer to get up before the crack of dawn? If so, this job may suit you down to the ground.

The industrial workforce needs awakening each day, and as nobody has an alarm clock, it's down to you. You'll need to equip yourself with a long stick, and for the tiniest of fees, you'll race about the town rapping on poor idling folks' bedroom windows to raise them from their slumber.

You'll get it in the neck big time if you oversleep, so best get yourself a bed of nails. Breaking windows is a hazard of the job and you may shortly be put out of work by the factory siren.

Tasks & duties

• Getting up early in the morning.
• Running through town tapping on windows and shouting out to wake the workers.
• Constructing long sticks out of bamboo and wire.

Personal requirements

• Reliability and punctuality.
• Ability to work in a quick and timely manner.
• Good physical fitness.
• A loud voice.