Official
Ahmet Cemal Efendi
Muslim (Müslüman). Born in Üsküdar in 1849/50 (AH 1266). On record 1868 to 1905, 38 annual entries.
Archive reference 0065_0196; 389
Life#
Ahmet Cemal Efendi was born in Üsküdar in 1849/50 (AH 1266) into the Muslim (Müslüman) community; the father's occupation was "Saray Kapicisi". Schooling took seven years, at a middle school (Rüşdiye Mektebi); Ahmet Cemal also attended the telegraph school.
At about 16, in 1865/66, Ahmet Cemal began work in Istanbul, with three unpaid years as a mülazım (apprentice) before a first salary of 400 kuruş. The first annual entry, for 1868/69, places Ahmet Cemal in Çankırı as a communications official (Muhabere Memuru). Next came four places in seven years, then Safranbolu from 1876 to 1883, with a rise to director of the second grade (2. Müdür). The annual lists then follow Ahmet Cemal to Beyoğlu from 1883 to 1886. From 1886 to 1905 the annual entries place Ahmet Cemal in Istanbul, first in the sorting room (Tefrik Odası), from 1887/88 as Senedat Memuru and from 1892/93 as an official for incoming items (Mevrude Memuru). Few careers in the lists are as long; fewer than 5 per cent of the 5,211 officials have entries spanning 38 years or more.
The salary went from 400 kuruş a month in 1868/69 to 760 in 1876/77, the peak, as 2. Müdür in Safranbolu, when two in three paid officials earned less. That salary was paid for a single year, and the next list gives 600 kuruş. The last annual entry is for 1904/05.
Places in order of time#
Each number is a stop: the birthplace, the place of first work, then every place of the annual entries in turn. The year beside an arrow is the first entry at the new place.
Born 1849/50 (AH 1266)
First work 1865/66 (AH 1282)
1876 to 1883 (AH 1293 to 1300)
2. Müdür 1876/77 (AH 1293); 3. Müdür 1877 to 1878 (AH 1294 to 1295); Başmuhabere Memuru 1878 to 1883 (AH 1296 to 1300)
500 to 760 kuruş a month; entries in 8 years
1886 to 1905 (AH 1304 to 1322)
Tefrik Odası 1886/87 (AH 1304); Senedat Memuru 1887 to 1892 (AH 1305 to 1309); Mevrude Memuru 1892 to 1905 (AH 1310 to 1322)
500 to 700 kuruş a month; entries in 19 years
Career and salary#
Log scale: equal steps are equal ratios. The median of the same title is drawn for the years in which at least 5 officials with that title had a salary.
The numbers of the chart
| Year | Salary | Median, all officials | Median, same title | Paid less |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1868/69 | 400 | 600 | 480 | 17% |
| 1869/70 | 480 | 600 | 400 | 34% |
| 1870/71 | 500 | 600 | 400 | 43% |
| 1871/72 | 570 | 550 | 400 | 50% |
| 1872/73 | 570 | 550 | 400 | 50% |
| 1873/74 | 600 | 500 | 400 | 55% |
| 1874/75 | 600 | 535 | 450 | 55% |
| 1875/76 | 600 | 530 | 400 | 54% |
| 1876/77 | 760 | 582.5 | 800 | 67% |
| 1877/78 | 600 | 560 | 600 | 50% |
| 1878 | 600 | 600 | 600 | 46% |
| 1878/79 | 600 | 600 | 600 | 47% |
| 1879/80 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 47% |
| 1880/81 | 500 | 500 | 570 | 47% |
| 1881/82 | 500 | 500 | 600 | 46% |
| 1882/83 | 500 | 500 | 600 | 43% |
| 1883/84 | 190 | 500 | 400 | 4% |
| 1884/85 | 190 | 500 | 400 | 3% |
| 1885/86 | 250 | 500 | 400 | 6% |
| 1886/87 | 500 | 500 | 380 | 42% |
| 1887/88 | 600 | 500 | 58% | |
| 1888/89 | 600 | 500 | 58% | |
| 1889/90 | 600 | 500 | 58% | |
| 1890/91 | 600 | 500 | 59% | |
| 1891/92 | 600 | 500 | 59% | |
| 1892/93 | 600 | 500 | 300 | 59% |
| 1893/94 | 600 | 500 | 312.5 | 60% |
| 1894/95 | 600 | 500 | 325 | 60% |
| 1895/96 | 675 | 500 | 327.5 | 73% |
| 1896/97 | 607 | 500 | 300 | 75% |
| 1897/98 | 607 | 500 | 275 | 75% |
| 1898/99 | 627 | 500 | 255 | 74% |
| 1899/1900 | 650 | 500 | 300 | 74% |
| 1900/01 | 650 | 500 | 300 | 73% |
| 1901/02 | 700 | 500 | 300 | 76% |
| 1902/03 | 700 | 500 | 360 | 75% |
| 1903/04 | 700 | 475 | 362.5 | 75% |
| 1904/05 | 700 | 450 | 350 | 75% |
Paid less: the share of the other officials with a salary that year who earned less.
Point at a year for its salary, title, place and the median of all officials paid that year. Choose a row of the table to mark its years in the charts and its stop on the map.
| Years | Title | Place | Salary (kuruş a month) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1865/66AH 1282 | First work | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 400first-salary field |
| 1868/69AH 1285 | Muhabere Memuru | Çankırı | 400 |
| 1869/70AH 1286 | Muhabere Memuru | Karadeniz Ereğli | 480 |
| 1870/71AH 1287 | Muhabere Memuru | Taşköprü | 500 |
| 1871 to 1873AH 1288 to 1289 | Muhabere Memuru | Kalecik | 570 |
| 1873 to 1876AH 1290 to 1292 | Muhabere Memuru | Gerede | 600 |
| 1876/77AH 1293 | 2. Müdür | Safranbolu | 760 |
| 1877 to 1878AH 1294 to 1295 | 3. Müdür | Safranbolu | 600 |
| 1878 to 1883AH 1296 to 1300 | Başmuhabere Memuru | Safranbolu | 600 to 500 |
| 1883 to 1886AH 1301 to 1303 | Muhabere Memuru | Beyoğlu | 190 to 250 |
| 1886/87AH 1304 | Tefrik Odası | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 500 |
| 1887 to 1892AH 1305 to 1309 | Senedat Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 600 |
| 1892 to 1905AH 1310 to 1322 | Mevrude Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 600 to 700 |
Record#
Personal
- Born
- 1849/50 (AH 1266)
- Birthplace
- Üsküdar
- Community
- Muslim (Müslüman)
- Nationality as recorded
- Turkish
- Father's occupation
- Saray Kapicisi
Education
- Rüşdiye
- Rüşdiye Mektebi (7 years)rüşdiye school (middle school)
- Higher or professional
- Telgraf Mektebitelegraph school; recorded as a code
- Unpaid years (mülazemet)
- 3 years
- Preparation route (classification of the paper)
- Low
- Qualification (diploma, certificate, training or nişan)
- No
The years count all schooling up to that school, as the record gives them.
Languages
- Turkish
- Kitabetwriting
The glosses are cautious historical readings of the recorded words, not modern levels of proficiency.
First work
- Year
- 1865/66 (AH 1282)
- Place
- Istanbul (Dersaadet)
- First salary field (kuruş a month)
- 400
Recorded with#
Officials who share a place, a job title, a school, a birthplace or the year of the first annual entry. Ranks compare the highest monthly salary of each official.
Same place, same years
Of the 1,229 officials with entries in Istanbul in the same years, Ahmet Cemal Efendi had the 463rd highest salary.
- Salahattin Bey19 shared years; highest salary 7,800 kuruş
- Suleyman Resat Bey19 shared years; highest salary 7,000 kuruş
- Mehmet Hayri Bey19 shared years; highest salary 5,500 kuruş
- Melkok Efendi19 shared years; highest salary 5,000 kuruş
- Dikran Efendi19 shared years; highest salary 4,500 kuruş
Same job title, same years
Of the 83 officials with the title Mevrude Memuru in the same years, Ahmet Cemal Efendi had the 12th highest salary.
- İstapan Parunaki Efendi13 shared years; highest salary 1,550 kuruş
- Antuvan Kabareciyan Efendi13 shared years; highest salary 700 kuruş
- Mehmet Nuri Efendi13 shared years; highest salary 413 kuruş
- Mehmet Ramazan Efendi12 shared years; highest salary 500 kuruş
- Mehmet Efendi10 shared years; highest salary 300 kuruş
Same school
Of the 3,206 officials with Rüşdiye Mektebi among their schools, 3,200 have a recorded salary; Ahmet Cemal Efendi had the 628th highest salary of them.
- Abdulvahab Efendiborn 1849/50 (AH 1266); highest salary 500 kuruş
- Ahmet Halit Efendiborn 1849/50 (AH 1266); highest salary 720 kuruş
- Ahmet Latif Efendiborn 1849/50 (AH 1266); highest salary 800 kuruş
- Ahmet Recai Efendiborn 1849/50 (AH 1266); highest salary 500 kuruş
- Ali Riza Efendiborn 1849/50 (AH 1266); highest salary 600 kuruş
First annual entry in the same year
Of the 89 officials whose first annual entry is for 1868/69 (AH 1285), Ahmet Cemal Efendi had the 60th highest salary.
- Abdullah Naili Efendifirst entry in Aleppo (Halep); highest salary 600 kuruş
- Abdulvahab Efendifirst entry in Geyve; highest salary 500 kuruş
- Agop Efendi Veled-İ Artinfirst entry in Thessaloniki (Selanik); highest salary 800 kuruş
- Gerope Gümüş Gerdan Efendifirst entry in Beyoğlu; highest salary 1,000 kuruş
- Hüseyin Rasim Beyfirst entry in Plovdiv (Filibe); highest salary 950 kuruş
Full record
Annual entries (38)
| Year | Title | Place | Kuruş a month | Institution | Source | Archive reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1868/69AH 1285 | Muhabere Memuru | Çankırı | 400 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0065_0196; 389 |
| 1869/70AH 1286 | Muhabere Memuru | Karadeniz Ereğli | 480 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0065_0196; 389 |
| 1870/71AH 1287 | Muhabere Memuru | Taşköprü | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0065_0196; 389 |
| 1871/72AH 1288 | Muhabere Memuru | Kalecik | 570 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0065_0196; 389 |
| 1872/73AH 1289 | Muhabere Memuru | Kalecik | 570 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0065_0196; 389 |
| 1873/74AH 1290 | Muhabere Memuru | Gerede | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0065_0196; 389 |
| 1874/75AH 1291 | Muhabere Memuru | Gerede | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0065_0196; 389 |
| 1875/76AH 1292 | Muhabere Memuru | Gerede | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0065_0196; 389 |
| 1876/77AH 1293 | 2. Müdür | Safranbolu | 760 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0065_0196; 389 |
| 1877/78AH 1294 | 3. Müdür | Safranbolu | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0065_0196; 389 |
| 1878AH 1295 | 3. Müdür | Safranbolu | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0065_0196; 389 |
| 1878/79AH 1296 | Başmuhabere Memuru | Safranbolu | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0065_0196; 389 |
| 1879/80AH 1297 | Başmuhabere Memuru | Safranbolu | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0065_0196; 389 |
| 1880/81AH 1298 | Başmuhabere Memuru | Safranbolu | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0065_0196; 389 |
| 1881/82AH 1299 | Başmuhabere Memuru | Safranbolu | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0065_0196; 389 |
| 1882/83AH 1300 | Başmuhabere Memuru | Safranbolu | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0065_0196; 389 |
| 1883/84AH 1301 | Muhabere Memuru | Beyoğlu | 190 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0065_0196; 389 |
| 1884/85AH 1302 | Muhabere Memuru | Beyoğlu | 190 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0065_0196; 389 |
| 1885/86AH 1303 | Muhabere Memuru | Beyoğlu | 250 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0065_0196; 389 |
| 1886/87AH 1304 | Tefrik Odası | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0065_0196; 389 |
| 1887/88AH 1305 | Senedat Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0065_0196; 389 |
| 1888/89AH 1306 | Senedat Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0065_0196; 389 |
| 1889/90AH 1307 | Senedat Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0065_0196; 389 |
| 1890/91AH 1308 | Senedat Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0065_0196; 389 |
| 1891/92AH 1309 | Senedat Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0065_0196; 389 |
| 1892/93AH 1310 | Mevrude Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0065_0196; 389 |
| 1893/94AH 1311 | Mevrude Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0065_0196; 389 |
| 1894/95AH 1312 | Mevrude Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0065_0196; 389 |
| 1895/96AH 1313 | Mevrude Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 675 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0065_0196; 389 |
| 1896/97AH 1314 | Mevrude Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 607 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0065_0196; 389 |
| 1897/98AH 1315 | Mevrude Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 607 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0065_0196; 389 |
| 1898/99AH 1316 | Mevrude Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 627 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0065_0196; 389 |
| 1899/1900AH 1317 | Mevrude Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 650 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0065_0196; 389 |
| 1900/01AH 1318 | Mevrude Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 650 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0065_0196; 389 |
| 1901/02AH 1319 | Mevrude Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 700 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0065_0196; 389 |
| 1902/03AH 1320 | Mevrude Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 700 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0065_0196; 389 |
| 1903/04AH 1321 | Mevrude Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 700 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0065_0196; 389 |
| 1904/05AH 1322 | Mevrude Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 700 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0065_0196; 389 |
What the sources named in this table are
- Recovered annual personnel extract
- The merged annual personnel file recovered for the replication of the first paper. Annual entries are taken from it for every official it holds.
Sources and original values (15)
| Field | Recorded value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | ||
| Name | Ahmet Cemal Efendi | Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Birth year (AH) | 1266 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Birthplace | uskudar | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Province of birth | dersaadet | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Father's occupation | Saray Kapicisi | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Religion | Musluman | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Nationality or community | Turkish | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Schooling | ||
| School | Rusdiye Mektebi | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Years of schooling | 7 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Telegraph school (recorded code) | 1 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Years of apprenticeship (mülazemet) | 3 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| First work | ||
| First work: year (AH) | 1282 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| First work: Gregorian year as stored | 1865 | Recovered annual personnel extract |
| First work: place | istanbul | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| First salary field (kuruş a month) | 400 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
What the sources named in this table are
- Earlier annual personnel extract
- The detailed annual personnel file of October 2024. An official found only in this file keeps the years, titles and salaries it gives.
- Recovered annual personnel extract
- The merged annual personnel file recovered for the replication of the first paper. Annual entries are taken from it for every official it holds.
- Personnel attributes extract
- The detailed personnel file of September 2025, read for personal details such as birth, schooling and first work.
- Origin of the record: Post and Telegraph personnel records.
- 36 annual entries of 38 belong to the saved estimation sample of the paper.
How to read this record: calendar years, years without an annual entry, salaries and sources.
Subjects
- Ahmet Cemal Efendi
- Official for incoming items (Mevrude Memuru)
- Istanbul (Dersaadet)
- Üsküdar
- Rüşdiye school (Rüşdiye Mektebi)
- Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)
- Muslim (Müslüman)
- Biography of an Ottoman official (Osmanlı memurunun biyografisi)
- Career and pay (memuriyet ve maaş)
- Ottoman history (Osmanlı tarihi)
- Ottoman bureaucracy (Osmanlı bürokrasisi)
- Ottoman officials (Osmanlı'da memurlar)
- Ottoman personnel registers (Sicill-i Ahvâl defterleri)
- Ottoman registers (Osmanlı defterleri)