How did the role of a coal stoker change over time?
Frequently Asked Question about the extinct profession: Coal Stoker
The role of a coal stoker evolved significantly from the Industrial Revolution to the mid-20th century. Initially, stokers manually fed coal into boilers, requiring physical labor and skill. With technological advancements, mechanization reduced the need for manual stoking, leading to the decline of traditional stokers. By the late 20th century, many coal-fired systems were replaced by cleaner energy sources.