Abdurrahman Zekai Bey

Abdurrahman Zekai Bey was born in Istanbul in 1842/43 (AH 1258). The record gives the community as Muslim (Müslüman) and the nationality as Turkish.

Schooling recorded: Sıbyan Mektebi, with 4 years of schooling recorded. The record marks no qualification (diploma, certificate, training or decoration). Languages recorded, with the skill words of the record: Greek (Rum), with Tekellum; Turkish, with Kitabet.

First work is recorded in Istanbul in 1851/52 (AH 1268): Defteri Hakani Kalemi. The official was then about 10 years old. The record gives 8 years of unpaid apprenticeship (mülazemet) before the first salary. The first-salary field gives 70 kuruş a month. At the first annual entry, in 1858/59, the official was about 16 years old.

The first annual entry, for 1858/59, shows Defter-i Hakani Kalemi in Istanbul, with 70 kuruş a month. In 1870/71 the record shows Defter-i Hakani Kalemi in Baghdad (Bağdat), the salary going from 500 to 2,500 kuruş a month (before: Defter-i Hakani Kalemi in Istanbul). In 1872/73 the record shows DH Baskitabeti in Istanbul, the salary going from 2,500 to 750 kuruş a month (before: Defter-i Hakani Kalemi in Baghdad). In 1875/76 the record shows Arazi Kalemi in Ankara, with 750 kuruş a month (before: DH Baskitabeti in Istanbul). In 1876/77 the record shows Arazi Kalemi in Istanbul, with 750 kuruş a month (before: Arazi Kalemi in Ankara). In 1879/80 the record shows Tapu Kalemi Baskitabeti in Istanbul, the salary going from 1,190 to 1,650 kuruş a month (before: Arazi Kalemi in Istanbul). In 1881/82 the record shows Arazi Kalemi in Aleppo (Halep), the salary going from 1,650 to 2,500 kuruş a month (before: Tapu Kalemi Baskitabeti in Istanbul). In 1882/83 the record shows Tapu Kalemi Baskitabeti in Istanbul, the salary going from 2,500 to 1,650 kuruş a month (before: Arazi Kalemi in Aleppo). In 1889/90 the record shows DH Mufettisi in Jaffa (Yafa), the salary going from 2,000 to 3,000 kuruş a month (before: Tapu Kalemi Baskitabeti in Istanbul). In 1892/93 the record shows Tapu Kalemi Baskitabeti in Istanbul, the salary going from 3,000 to 2,000 kuruş a month (before: DH Mufettisi in Jaffa). In 1906/07 the record shows DH Mufettisi in Sivas, the salary going from 2,000 to 3,600 kuruş a month (before: Tapu Kalemi Baskitabeti in Istanbul). The title field holds the status word İstifa for 1871/72.

The highest salary, 3,600 kuruş a month, is first recorded in 1906/07 as DH Mufettisi. 99 per cent of the other officials with a recorded salary that year earned less. The median salary of all officials that year was 450 kuruş. Over 50 years with a salary the median is 1,900 kuruş a month, with 10 rises and 4 cuts. The largest rise, 2,000 kuruş, is seen in 1870/71. From the first salary to the last the salary grew by 8.2 per cent a year on average. The last salary is recorded in 1907/08, when 98 per cent of the other officials with a recorded salary that year earned less.

Honours recorded in the cross-ministry workbook: Rank (recorded code): 2, 1, 3; Mecidi order (recorded code): 3, 4; Osmani order (recorded code): 3.