Official
Mehmet Efendi
Muslim (Müslüman). Born in Istanbul (Dersaadet) in 1858/59 (AH 1275). On record 1876 to 1897, 20 annual entries.
Archive reference 0062_0097; 191
Life#
Mehmet Efendi was born in Istanbul in 1858/59 (AH 1275) into the Muslim (Müslüman) community; the father was a tradesman (esnaf). Schooling took seven years, at a middle school (Rüşdiye Mektebi); Mehmet also attended the telegraph school.
Mehmet began work in Istanbul in 1875/76, at about 16, with one unpaid year as a mülazım (apprentice) before a first salary of 500 kuruş. The annual lists begin in 1876/77, with Mehmet as a communications official (Muhabere Memuru) in Ruse (Rusçuk). Mehmet then moved to Varna in 1877/78 and Çatalca in 1878/79, then Konya from 1880 to 1896. The last post was in Seydişehir in 1896/97, with a rise to director of the third grade (3. Müdür).
The salary went from 500 kuruş a month in 1876/77 to 600 in 1878/79, the peak, as Muhabere Memuru in Çatalca, when 47 per cent of paid officials earned less. That salary was paid for a single year, and the next list gives 400 kuruş. Over 20 years pay ended where it began, at 500 kuruş; fewer than 7 per cent of the 2,010 officials paid for 15 years or more ended as low. The last annual entry is for 1896/97.
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 1858/59 (AH 1275); First work 1875/76 (AH 1292)
1878/79 (AH 1296)
No annual entry for 1878 (AH 1295) before it.
600 kuruş a month; entries in 1 year
1880 to 1896 (AH 1298 to 1313)
No annual entry for 1879/80 (AH 1297) before it.
400 kuruş a month; entries in 16 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1876/77 | 500 | 582.5 | 410 | 36% |
| 1877/78 | 500 | 560 | 410 | 36% |
| 1878/79 | 600 | 600 | 420 | 47% |
| 1880/81 | 400 | 500 | 400 | 34% |
| 1881/82 | 400 | 500 | 400 | 31% |
| 1882/83 | 400 | 500 | 400 | 28% |
| 1883/84 | 400 | 500 | 400 | 27% |
| 1884/85 | 400 | 500 | 400 | 27% |
| 1885/86 | 400 | 500 | 400 | 27% |
| 1886/87 | 400 | 500 | 400 | 27% |
| 1887/88 | 400 | 500 | 400 | 27% |
| 1888/89 | 400 | 500 | 400 | 27% |
| 1889/90 | 400 | 500 | 400 | 27% |
| 1890/91 | 400 | 500 | 400 | 28% |
| 1891/92 | 400 | 500 | 400 | 29% |
| 1892/93 | 400 | 500 | 400 | 29% |
| 1893/94 | 400 | 500 | 400 | 30% |
| 1894/95 | 400 | 500 | 400 | 30% |
| 1895/96 | 400 | 500 | 400 | 30% |
| 1896/97 | 500 | 500 | 540 | 49% |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1875/76AH 1292 | First work | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 500first-salary field |
| 1876/77AH 1293 | Muhabere Memuru | Ruse (Rusçuk) | 500 |
| 1877/78AH 1294 | Muhabere Memuru | Varna | 500 |
| No annual entry: 1878 (AH 1295) | |||
| 1878/79AH 1296 | Muhabere Memuru | Çatalca | 600 |
| No annual entry: 1879/80 (AH 1297) | |||
| 1880 to 1896AH 1298 to 1313 | Muhabere Memuru | Konya | 400 |
| 1896/97AH 1314 | 3. Müdür | Seydişehir | 500 |
Record#
Personal
- Born
- 1858/59 (AH 1275)
- Birthplace
- Istanbul (Dersaadet)
- Community
- Muslim (Müslüman)
- Nationality as recorded
- Turkish
- Father's occupation
- Esnaf
Education
- Rüşdiye
- Rüşdiye Mektebi (7 years)rüşdiye school (middle school)
- Higher or professional
- Telgraf Mektebitelegraph school; recorded as a code
- Unpaid years (mülazemet)
- 1 year
- 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
- 1875/76 (AH 1292)
- Place
- Istanbul (Dersaadet)
- First salary field (kuruş a month)
- 500
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 59 officials with entries in Konya in the same years, Mehmet Efendi had the 34th highest salary.
- Ahmet Hilmi Efendi16 shared years; highest salary 500 kuruş
- Aziz Efendi16 shared years; highest salary 500 kuruş
- Lazari John Efendi14 shared years; highest salary 600 kuruş
- Odi Efendi12 shared years; highest salary 4,000 kuruş
- Ahmet Tevfik Efendi12 shared years; highest salary 700 kuruş
Same job title, same years
Of the 1,734 officials with the title Muhabere Memuru in the same years, Mehmet Efendi had the 721st highest salary.
- Ömer Nuri Efendi19 shared years; highest salary 1,500 kuruş
- Tahir Efendi19 shared years; highest salary 1,500 kuruş
- Nikola Yunani Efendi19 shared years; highest salary 1,350 kuruş
- Mehmet Nazım Efendi19 shared years; highest salary 1,300 kuruş
- Şarl Laze Efendi19 shared years; highest salary 1,250 kuruş
Same school
Of the 3,206 officials with Rüşdiye Mektebi among their schools, 3,200 have a recorded salary; Mehmet Efendi had the 852nd highest salary of them.
- Abdulkadir Efendiborn 1858/59 (AH 1275); highest salary 800 kuruş
- Ahmed Hilmi Efendiborn 1858/59 (AH 1275); highest salary 500 kuruş
- AHMET CEMİL EFENDİborn 1858/59 (AH 1275); highest salary 400 kuruş
- Ahmet Faik Beyborn 1858/59 (AH 1275); highest salary 2,000 kuruş
- Ahmet Faik Efendiborn 1858/59 (AH 1275); highest salary 750 kuruş
Same birthplace
Of the 1,999 officials born in Istanbul, 1,997 have a recorded salary; Mehmet Efendi had the 789th highest salary of them.
- Ahmet Faik Efendiborn 1858/59 (AH 1275); highest salary 750 kuruş
- Ahmet Haydar Beyborn 1858/59 (AH 1275); highest salary 1,600 kuruş
- Ahmet Hayri Efendiborn 1858/59 (AH 1275); highest salary 600 kuruş
- Ali Agah Efendiborn 1858/59 (AH 1275); highest salary 500 kuruş
- Ali Fethi Beyborn 1858/59 (AH 1275); highest salary 1,400 kuruş
First annual entry in the same year
Of the 120 officials whose first annual entry is for 1876/77 (AH 1293), Mehmet Efendi had the 55th highest salary.
- Vartan Yıldızyanfirst entry in Ruse (Rusçuk); highest salary 1,250 kuruş
- Ahmet İzzet Efendifirst entry in Ruse (Rusçuk); highest salary 1,200 kuruş
- Ahmed Hilmi Efendifirst entry in Shkodër (İşkodra); highest salary 500 kuruş
- Ali Rıza Efendifirst entry in Izmir (İzmir); highest salary 800 kuruş
- Andon Hallaçyan Efendifirst entry in Büyükdere; highest salary 800 kuruş
Full record
Annual entries (20)
| Year | Title | Place | Kuruş a month | Institution | Source | Archive reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1876/77AH 1293 | Muhabere Memuru | Ruse (Rusçuk) | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0097; 191 |
| 1877/78AH 1294 | Muhabere Memuru | Varna | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0097; 191 |
| 1878/79AH 1296 | Muhabere Memuru | Çatalca | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0097; 191 |
| 1880/81AH 1298 | Muhabere Memuru | Konya | 400 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0097; 191 |
| 1881/82AH 1299 | Muhabere Memuru | Konya | 400 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0097; 191 |
| 1882/83AH 1300 | Muhabere Memuru | Konya | 400 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0097; 191 |
| 1883/84AH 1301 | Muhabere Memuru | Konya | 400 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0097; 191 |
| 1884/85AH 1302 | Muhabere Memuru | Konya | 400 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0097; 191 |
| 1885/86AH 1303 | Muhabere Memuru | Konya | 400 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0097; 191 |
| 1886/87AH 1304 | Muhabere Memuru | Konya | 400 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0097; 191 |
| 1887/88AH 1305 | Muhabere Memuru | Konya | 400 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0097; 191 |
| 1888/89AH 1306 | Muhabere Memuru | Konya | 400 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0097; 191 |
| 1889/90AH 1307 | Muhabere Memuru | Konya | 400 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0097; 191 |
| 1890/91AH 1308 | Muhabere Memuru | Konya | 400 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0097; 191 |
| 1891/92AH 1309 | Muhabere Memuru | Konya | 400 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0097; 191 |
| 1892/93AH 1310 | Muhabere Memuru | Konya | 400 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0097; 191 |
| 1893/94AH 1311 | Muhabere Memuru | Konya | 400 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0097; 191 |
| 1894/95AH 1312 | Muhabere Memuru | Konya | 400 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0097; 191 |
| 1895/96AH 1313 | Muhabere Memuru | Konya | 400 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0097; 191 |
| 1896/97AH 1314 | 3. Müdür | Seydişehir | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0097; 191 |
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 | Mehmet Efendi | Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Birth year (AH) | 1275 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Birthplace | dersaadet | 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 | Esnaf | 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) | 1 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| First work | ||
| First work: year (AH) | 1292 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| First work: Gregorian year as stored | 1875 | 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) | 500 | 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.
- 20 annual entries of 20 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
- Mehmet Efendi
- Communications official (Muhabere Memuru)
- Konya
- Istanbul (Dersaadet)
- 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)