National Trades Day: A Look Back at Famous Tradespeople Through Time

Fri, Sep 20, 2024 17:29 CET

20th September 2024 marks the celebration of National Tradesmen Day. This is a day to celebrate tradespeople across the globe. Tradespeople pave our roads, build our workplaces and schools and construct the very buildings that we live in. Although they are often overlooked, tradespeople are the backbone of every nation and they are doing the very jobs that keep our world running. Without tradespeople, where we would be as humans?

With this in mind, 20th September 2024 marks the day that is dedicated to tradespeople and their hard work. To mark this occasion, the experts at MyJobQuote.co.uk have decided to take a deep dive into the past to look at some celebrities that you may not know were once tradespeople themselves once upon a time. Take a look at the list below:

Famous Former Tradespeople

Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley is one of the most famous names in history. Before shooting to fame with his unique rock and roll sound and on-screen career, Presley was originally working in the trades industry.

He began his career as an electrician's helper and was part of a training programme at the Crown Electric Company before shooting to fame. It's incredible to think what may have happened if he had stuck to his training programme, but thanks to his millions upon millions of worldwide fans, it wasn't meant to be, landing Presley as one of the most famous people in history.

Michael Caine

Known as being one of the most diverse and talented actors of all time, Michael Caine also began his early career in the trades industry. Caine is known for his many starring roles in movies such as Alfie, The Cider House Rules, Hannah and Her Sisters, and The Dark Knight Trilogy. If that wasn’t enough, Caine holds one of the highest distinctions in the film industry as he’s just one of two actors in history to be nominated for at least one Academy Award in every decade since the 1960s.

However, many people don’t realise that Caine began a career in the trades industry before shooting to fame as an actor. He worked as a plumbers assistant after serving his time in the Korean War. He was also searching for an apprenticeship in the industry before his movie career took off.

Whoopi Goldberg

Under her given name Caryn Elaine Johnson, this now very famous actress, personality, and comedian was once apparently a builder and was building walls at the San Diego Zoo before getting her big break.

Now a household name, you may find it hard to believe that she was once in charge of constructing the walls within the very famous zoo.

George Harrison

You may find it hard to believe that a member of one of the most famous bands in history was once a tradesperson. However, George Harrison of The Beatles did begin his career within the trades industry before shooting to fame with the hugely successful Liverpool-based band.

When Harrison left school at the age of 16, he began working as an electrician's apprentice while playing the guitar on the side. However, this only lasted a few months, as The Beatles provided him with many more opportunities.

John Farnham

The British-born Australian singer John Farnham shot to fame in the '60s when he became a teen pop sensation. Beginning with his debut single, Sadie the Cleaning Lady, Farnham quickly went on to sell many chart-topping songs over several decades. Some of his hits include Age of Reason, Chain Reaction, and You're The Voice.

However, despite finding fame at a young age, did you know that John Farnham was actually a tradesperson before he made it big in the music industry? He began his career as an apprentice plumber in the 60s while working on his music on the side before signing a recording deal with EMI in 1967.

Winston Churchill

Winston Churchill is arguably the most famous British Prime Minister of all time. However, did you know that Churchill was a tradesman before stepping into the politics game?

Winston Churchill was a member of the Amalgamated Union of Bricklayers. In his spare time, he still built some small creations, such as a swimming pool, a garden wall, and a goldfish pond.

Harrison Ford

One of the most famous names in the acting industry, Harrison Ford's career started off in quite an unlikely and interesting way. Before being catapulted into mega-stardom with the success of his career playing Han Solo in Star Wars, Ford was working as a professional carpenter.

In an unlikely event, Ford was fitting cabinets for the Star Wars director, George Lucas, when he was asked to feed lines for actors auditioning for the roles in Star Wars. He did this as a way of making some extra money to fund his carpentry career before being surprisingly offered the role of Han Solo.

Noel Gallagher

Noel Gallagher took the music industry by storm in the mid-90s with his younger brother Liam after forming the band Oasis. However, before joining Liam in the band in 1991 as lead guitarist and chief songwriter, Gallagher had a pretty different career.

His older brother, Paul, had gotten him a job working on building sites around Manchester as part of Kennedy’s Civil Engineering. After having a JCB drop a part of a steel pipe on his foot, he was placed on lighter duties and started to take his guitar to work. This is where he would compose four songs that appeared on the Oasis debut album, Definitely Maybe.

George Clooney

Again, one of the most well-known actors in the movie industry, George Clooney, is known for playing various roles across a range of movie niches. However, before shooting to fame with his acting career, Clooney worked in a range of fields.

After moving into his Aunt Rosemary's home in Los Angeles and dropping out of college, Clooney funded his acting classes by working in the construction field and cleaning a theatre.

Sean Connery

The James Bond star, Sean Connery, also worked within the trades industry while waiting patiently for his big break in the acting industry. Starting off in the Royal Navy, he went on to work in a variety of industries.

After he was discharged from the Royal Navy on medical grounds with ulcers after three years of serving, Connery went on to try his hand in a range of fields. These included jobs as a bricklayer, a lifeguard, an artist's model, and even as a coffin polisher.

Rowan Atkinson

This is a very interesting one as he's known for his silly TV appearances and comedic performances. However, did you know that Rowan Atkinson was once a very well-trained professional in the electrician field?

As a teenager, Atkinson studied electrical engineering at Newcastle University before taking it a step further and pursuing a master's degree in the same field from The Queens College. Alongside his studies, he was writing comedy and pursuing his love for the comedy field. Before he had time to do much with his electrical engineering skills, his comedy career took off, bringing us some of the best comedic performances in history, particularly in his performances as Mr Bean.

Final Thoughts

As we've seen, the world of tradespeople is far more diverse and exciting than we might initially think. From Hollywood stars to political icons, countless famous individuals have honed their skills in trades before achieving global recognition.

National Trades Day offers a valuable opportunity to celebrate the invaluable contributions of tradespeople to our societies. Their expertise and craftsmanship are essential to the infrastructure and well-being of our communities. By recognising the diverse paths that have led these individuals to success, we can inspire future generations to explore the rewarding and fulfilling world of trades.

MyJobQuote is one of the UK's top trades matching sites that helps individuals find a reputable tradesperson in their local area.

MyJobQuote also has a wide range of experts with extensive knowledge in interior design, cleaning, gardening, property, construction and more. MyJobQuote's experts have been featured in over 700 publications, including Woman and Home, The Times, House Beautiful, BBC News and more.