Usefulness in history

[smartie]

So, you wake up one morning and the year is 1800AD. What skill/knowledge would you have that would make you your fortune? Rules:

You have only your current knowledge & experiences, no material items.
You cannot gamble on historical/sporting events.
You cannot purchase stock/shares etc in companies you know will be successful.
You can only do/invent something that you understand well enough to actually invent/do in your own time and that the raw materials would be available, ie you couldn't invent a CD player.

tbh, I might struggle! LOL

[10 Pence Short]

I'd start a Poppy farm...

Edited by 10 Pence Short on Friday 14th August 19:20

[Murray993]

The car, I might invent that.

[smartie]

Murray993 said:

The car, I might invent that.

but would you know how to, and would the equipment/tools/materials be available?

[Lord Pikey]

Not to good on history but could you pip Stevenson? to the post with the first stream train?

[The Brain Trust]

Morally dubious but I'd get involved in baccy (specifically ready made jobbies).

[rfn]

Lord Pikey said:

Not to good on history but could you pip Stevenson? to the post with the first stream train?

Stephenson's Rocket was built in 1829 IIRC, so I think you might just be able to?

[grumbledoak]

Most people would struggle, I think. Life was very different, and most folks knowledge now is too far removed. It would be farm work, manual skills, and most don't have those skills today. Lawyers would do ok, or priests, but medicine has moved so far that a doctor would struggle.

By 1900 you'd have factories and travel, most things would be recognisable and you could work with them.

[Murray993]

smartie said:

Murray993 said:

The car, I might invent that.

but would you know how to, and would the equipment/tools/materials be available?

Initially it might look like a cart, with peddles. But I'd get there. Also the bike chain I'd try for that to make some quick cash to fund my car.

[10 Pence Short]

grumbledoak said:

By 1900 you'd have factories and travel, most things would be recognisable and you could work with them.

Yeah, it'd basically be like visiting modern day Middlesborough.

[TheForceV4]

Id Strike oil and run the show from behind closed doors.

[Murray993]

10 Pence Short said:

grumbledoak said:

By 1900 you'd have factories and travel, most things would be recognisable and you could work with them.

Yeah, it'd basically be like visiting modern day Middlesborough.

Be fair depends where you turned up. This isn't the dark ages thread.

[smartie]

grumbledoak said:

Most people would struggle, I think. Life was very different, and most folks knowledge now is too far removed. It would be farm work, manual skills, and most don't have those skills today. Lawyers would do ok, or priests, but medicine has moved so far that a doctor would struggle.

By 1900 you'd have factories and travel, most things would be recognisable and you could work with them.

I would have thought a doctor would have done ok, as the body is still the body and he would know about infection/blood groups/etc etc. I would have thought a lawyer would struggle? Would anyone able to read and write be in a beneficial position?

[grumbledoak]

smartie said:

I would have thought a doctor would have done ok, as the body is still the body and he would know about infection/blood groups/etc etc. I would have thought a lawyer would struggle? Would anyone able to read and write be in a beneficial position?

A lot of what a GP does involves drugs that wouldn't exist or be possible to invent. A surgeon would do very well, I suppose. A lawyer would have to reference the law books of the day, but the basics of the profession are unchanged in longer than that.

I'm in IT; I'd be fked.

Edited by grumbledoak on Friday 14th August 19:40

[ypauly]

I would start a pension company safe in the knowledge that not many will live long enough to collect.


pointless really, as i only want to be rich so I can buy any car and there arn't any cars yet!

[Murray993]

brokenfather said:

The ballpoint pen

Toilet paper.

They just shat in the street, you didnt need paper

[smartie]

Murray993 said:

brokenfather said:

The ballpoint pen

Toilet paper.

They just shat in the street, you didnt need paper

and none of them could write!

[Pesty]

War is where the money is.

I'd go see king george III.
I'd say look here old bean. Fetch your best Engineers and designers and I will give them ideas and Know how . I will make you emperor of the world
You will beat those fuzzy wuzies and the Frech and the germans in weeks just give me a palace and a title.

[grumbledoak]

Pesty said:

Fetch your best Engineers and designers and I will give them ideas and Know how . I will make you emperor of the world.

You'll offer ideas they don't understand, and likely be unable to make a prototype yourself. They'd laugh you out of town.

[Murray993]

Pesty said:

War is where the money is.

I'd go see king george III.
I'd say look here old bean. Fetch your best Engineers and designers and I will give them ideas and Know how . I will make you emperor of the world
You will beat those fuzzy wuzies and the Frech and the germans in weeks just give me a palace and a title.

Prison for you then. Commoners where not allowed into the palace to rant about ideas...