Mehmed Şakir Efendi

Mehmed Şakir Efendi was born in Komotini (Gümülcine) in 1845 (AH 1261). At about 19, in 1864/65, Mehmed Şakir began work in Svishtov (Ziştovi). The first annual entry, for 1864/65, places Mehmed Şakir in Svishtov as Telgrafhane mülazımı, where the entries run to 1866/67. Alongside, the lists for 1866 to 1869 give a second post, in Ruse as Merkez muhabere memuru. Alongside, the lists for 1868 to 1878 give a second post, in Lovech as Merkez muhabere memuru. Alongside, the lists for 1877 to 1878 give a second post, in Sofia as a communications official (Muhabere Memuru). Alongside, the lists for 1878 to 1879 give a second post, in a post with no place named as Merkez muhabere memuru. From 1879 to 1906 every annual entry places Mehmed Şakir in Edirne. Entries spanning 43 years are rare, reached by fewer than 4 per cent of the 8,239 officials.

Pay rose from 480 kuruş a month in 1865/66 to a peak of 650 in 1894/95, in Edirne, when 71 per cent of paid officials earned less. Over 35 years pay ended below where it began, 216 kuruş against 480. In all, 35 years of salary come to 234,504 kuruş, 1.3 times what an official on the median salary earned in those years. The last annual entry is for 1905/06.