Official
Mahmut Eşref Efendi
Muslim (Müslüman). Born in Istanbul (Dersaadet) in 1847/48 (AH 1264). On record 1869 to 1887, 17 annual entries. Death recorded 1887/88.
Archive reference 5_57; 111
Life#
Born in Istanbul in 1847/48 (AH 1264), Mahmut Eşref Efendi came from the Muslim (Müslüman) community; the father's occupation was "Molla". Schooling took seven years, at a middle school (Rüşdiye Mektebi).
Work began in Istanbul in 1867/68, at about 19, with two unpaid years as a mülazım (apprentice) before a first salary of 150 kuruş. The annual lists begin in 1869/70, with Mahmut Eşref as Mulazemet in Istanbul, the birthplace, where the entries run to 1876/77. Next came Bitola (Manastır) and Shkodër (İşkodra) from 1877 to 1879, with a rise to communications official (Muhabere Memuru) in 1877/78 and to Seyyar Muhabere Memuru in 1878. From 1880 to 1887 the annual entries place Mahmut Eşref again in Istanbul.
The salary went from 150 kuruş a month in 1869/70 to 1,000 in 1878, the peak, as Seyyar Muhabere Memuru in Shkodër, when 76 per cent of paid officials earned less. After the last annual entry, for 1886/87, the list of 1887/88 (AH 1305) gives the status word Vefat (death).
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 1847/48 (AH 1264); First work 1867/68 (AH 1284); 1869 to 1877 (AH 1286 to 1293)
Mulazemet 1869/70 (AH 1286); Muhabere Memuru 1870 to 1874 (AH 1287 to 1290); Evrak Kalemi 1874 to 1877 (AH 1291 to 1293)
150 to 500 kuruş a month; entries in 7 years
No annual entry for 1872/73 (AH 1289).
1878 to 1879 (AH 1295 to 1296)
1,000 kuruş a month; entries in 2 years
1880 to 1887 (AH 1298 to 1304)
No annual entry for 1879/80 (AH 1297) before it.
500 kuruş a month; entries in 7 years
Death recorded in the annual list of 1887/88 (AH 1305): the word Vefat, not a date of death.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1869/70 | 150 | 600 | 3% | |
| 1870/71 | 350 | 600 | 400 | 17% |
| 1871/72 | 350 | 550 | 400 | 18% |
| 1873/74 | 280 | 500 | 400 | 10% |
| 1874/75 | 410 | 535 | 410 | 31% |
| 1875/76 | 450 | 530 | 425 | 34% |
| 1876/77 | 500 | 582.5 | 500 | 36% |
| 1877/78 | 750 | 560 | 410 | 65% |
| 1878 | 1,000 | 600 | 76% | |
| 1878/79 | 1,000 | 600 | 77% | |
| 1880/81 | 500 | 500 | 47% | |
| 1881/82 | 500 | 500 | 46% | |
| 1882/83 | 500 | 500 | 43% | |
| 1883/84 | 500 | 500 | 43% | |
| 1884/85 | 500 | 500 | 42% | |
| 1885/86 | 500 | 500 | 42% | |
| 1886/87 | 500 | 500 | 42% |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1867/68AH 1284 | First work | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 150first-salary field |
| 1869/70AH 1286 | Mulazemet | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 150 |
| 1870 to 1872AH 1287 to 1288 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 350 |
| No annual entry: 1872/73 (AH 1289) | |||
| 1873/74AH 1290 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 280 |
| 1874 to 1877AH 1291 to 1293 | Evrak Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 410 to 500 |
| 1877/78AH 1294 | Muhabere Memuru | Bitola (Manastır) | 750 |
| 1878 to 1879AH 1295 to 1296 | Seyyar Muhabere Memuru | Shkodër (İşkodra) | 1,000 |
| No annual entry: 1879/80 (AH 1297) | |||
| 1880 to 1887AH 1298 to 1304 | Komisyon Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 500 |
| 1887/88AH 1305 | Death recorded | ||
Record#
Personal
- Born
- 1847/48 (AH 1264)
- Birthplace
- Istanbul (Dersaadet)
- Community
- Muslim (Müslüman)
- Nationality as recorded
- Turkish
- Father's occupation
- Molla
- Death recorded
- 1887/88 (AH 1305)the year of the annual list with the word Vefat, not a date of death
Education
- Rüşdiye
- Rüşdiye Mektebi (7 years)rüşdiye school (middle school)
- Unpaid years (mülazemet)
- 2 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
- 1867/68 (AH 1284)
- Place
- Istanbul (Dersaadet)
- First salary field (kuruş a month)
- 150
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 592 officials with entries in Istanbul in the same years, Mahmut Eşref Efendi had the 273rd highest salary.
- Emil Efendi14 shared years; highest salary 9,000 kuruş
- Suleyman Resat Bey14 shared years; highest salary 7,000 kuruş
- Mehmet Hayri Bey14 shared years; highest salary 5,500 kuruş
- Melkok Efendi14 shared years; highest salary 5,000 kuruş
- Ohannes Abdullah Efendi14 shared years; highest salary 5,000 kuruş
Same job title, same years
Of the 591 officials with the title Muhabere Memuru in the same years, Mahmut Eşref Efendi had the 129th highest salary.
- Mehmet Şakir Efendi4 shared years; highest salary 2,700 kuruş
- Süleyman Reşid Efendi4 shared years; highest salary 2,500 kuruş
- Unnamed official (26_188; 371)4 shared years; highest salary 2,500 kuruş
- Mehmet Ruhi Bey4 shared years; highest salary 1,600 kuruş
- Esad Efendi4 shared years; highest salary 1,500 kuruş
Same school
Of the 3,206 officials with Rüşdiye Mektebi among their schools, 3,200 have a recorded salary; Mahmut Eşref Efendi had the 289th highest salary of them.
- Ahmet Rıza Efendiborn 1847/48 (AH 1264); highest salary 150 kuruş
- Ali Mazlum Efendiborn 1847/48 (AH 1264); highest salary 600 kuruş
- Ali Rıza Efendiborn 1847/48 (AH 1264); highest salary 700 kuruş
- Ali Rıza Efendiborn 1847/48 (AH 1264); highest salary 600 kuruş
- Eşref Bahtiyar Efendiborn 1847/48 (AH 1264); highest salary 800 kuruş
Same birthplace
Of the 1,999 officials born in Istanbul, 1,997 have a recorded salary; Mahmut Eşref Efendi had the 354th highest salary of them.
- Abdurrahman Şakir Beyborn 1847/48 (AH 1264); highest salary 1,500 kuruş
- Acemyan Dikran Efendiborn 1847/48 (AH 1264); highest salary 1,100 kuruş
- Afif Efendiborn 1847/48 (AH 1264); highest salary 800 kuruş
- Ahmet Nazif Efendiborn 1847/48 (AH 1264); highest salary 950 kuruş
- Ahmet Rıza Efendiborn 1847/48 (AH 1264); highest salary 150 kuruş
First annual entry in the same year
Of the 116 officials whose first annual entry is for 1869/70 (AH 1286), Mahmut Eşref Efendi had the 37th highest salary.
- Abdullah Vehbi Efendifirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 500 kuruş
- Ahmet Reşid Beyfirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 1,200 kuruş
- Emin Kami Efendifirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 1,200 kuruş
- Mustafa Zeki Efendifirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 650 kuruş
- Unnamed official (0007_0147; 291)first entry in Istanbul; highest salary 800 kuruş
Full record
Annual entries (17)
| Year | Title | Place | Kuruş a month | Institution | Source | Archive reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1869/70AH 1286 | Mulazemet | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 150 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_57; 111 |
| 1870/71AH 1287 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 350 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_57; 111 |
| 1871/72AH 1288 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 350 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_57; 111 |
| 1873/74AH 1290 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 280 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_57; 111 |
| 1874/75AH 1291 | Evrak Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 410 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_57; 111 |
| 1875/76AH 1292 | Evrak Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 450 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_57; 111 |
| 1876/77AH 1293 | Evrak Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_57; 111 |
| 1877/78AH 1294 | Muhabere Memuru | Bitola (Manastır) | 750 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_57; 111 |
| 1878AH 1295 | Seyyar Muhabere Memuru | Shkodër (İşkodra) | 1,000 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_57; 111 |
| 1878/79AH 1296 | Seyyar Muhabere Memuru | Shkodër (İşkodra) | 1,000 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_57; 111 |
| 1880/81AH 1298 | Komisyon Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_57; 111 |
| 1881/82AH 1299 | Komisyon Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_57; 111 |
| 1882/83AH 1300 | Komisyon Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_57; 111 |
| 1883/84AH 1301 | Komisyon Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_57; 111 |
| 1884/85AH 1302 | Komisyon Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_57; 111 |
| 1885/86AH 1303 | Komisyon Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_57; 111 |
| 1886/87AH 1304 | Komisyon Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_57; 111 |
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 | Mahmut Eşref Efendi | Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Birth year (AH) | 1264 | 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 | molla | 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 |
| Years of apprenticeship (mülazemet) | 2 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| First work | ||
| First work: year (AH) | 1284 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| First work: Gregorian year as stored | 1867 | 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) | 150 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Status | ||
| Death recorded under the year (AH) | 1305 | Earlier annual personnel extract (original copy); Earlier annual personnel extract (parallel copy) |
What the sources named in this table are
- Earlier annual personnel extract (original copy)
- A copy of the earlier annual personnel file, read for the title wording of each year. A death taken from it is the status word Vefat in the title field of one annual list: the year is the year of that list, not a date of death.
- Earlier annual personnel extract (parallel copy)
- A second copy of the earlier annual personnel file, read in the same way. A death taken from it is the status word Vefat in the title field of one annual list: the year is the year of that list, not a date of death. Two copies that agree are one piece of evidence, not two.
- 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.
- 16 annual entries of 17 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
- Mahmut Eşref Efendi
- Komisyon Kalemi
- Istanbul (Dersaadet)
- Rüşdiye school (Rüşdiye Mektebi)
- Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)
- Muslim (Müslüman)
- Communications official (Muhabere Memuru)
- 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)