Official
Todori Efendi
Greek Orthodox Christian (Rum). Born in Istanbul (Dersaadet) in 1857/58 (AH 1274). On record 1876 to 1907, 30 annual entries.
Archive reference 5_363; 723
Life#
Born in Istanbul in 1857/58 (AH 1274), Todori Efendi came from the Greek Orthodox Christian (Rum) community; the father was a tradesman (esnaf). Todori had seven years of schooling, at a French school (Fransız Mektebi). In all Todori knew four languages, French, Greek (Rum), Italian and Turkish, all in writing; fewer than 5 per cent of the 5,211 officials knew as many.
Todori began work in Istanbul in 1872/73, at about 15, with three unpaid years as a mülazım (apprentice) before a first salary of 150 kuruş. Every annual entry from 1876/77 to 1906/07 places Todori in Istanbul, the birthplace, first as Mevrude Memuru, from 1880/81 as an official for outgoing items (Mersule Memuru) and from 1896/97 as an official for incoming items (Mevrude Memuru). Of the 775 officials whose entries span 30 years or more, 11 per cent stayed in one place throughout.
Pay rose from 150 kuruş a month in 1876/77 to a peak of 700 in 1903/04, as Mevrude Memuru in Istanbul, when three in four paid officials earned less. In all, 30 years of salary come to 195,000 kuruş, about what an official on the median salary earned in those years. The final annual entry is for 1906/07.
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, and the median of the same province for the years in which at least 5 officials were paid in the province of the official's salary that year.
The numbers of the chart
| Year | Salary | Median, all officials | Median, same title | Median, same province | Paid less |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1876/77 | 150 | 582.5 | 587.5 | 3% | |
| 1877/78 | 150 | 560 | 600 | 2% | |
| 1878 | 250 | 600 | 600 | 6% | |
| 1880/81 | 350 | 500 | 285 | 500 | 19% |
| 1881/82 | 350 | 500 | 375 | 500 | 18% |
| 1882/83 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 43% |
| 1883/84 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 43% |
| 1884/85 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 42% |
| 1885/86 | 500 | 500 | 400 | 500 | 42% |
| 1886/87 | 500 | 500 | 450 | 500 | 42% |
| 1887/88 | 600 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 58% |
| 1888/89 | 600 | 500 | 400 | 500 | 58% |
| 1889/90 | 600 | 500 | 225 | 500 | 58% |
| 1890/91 | 600 | 500 | 262.5 | 500 | 59% |
| 1891/92 | 600 | 500 | 300 | 500 | 59% |
| 1892/93 | 600 | 500 | 325 | 500 | 59% |
| 1893/94 | 600 | 500 | 375 | 480 | 60% |
| 1894/95 | 600 | 500 | 280 | 450 | 60% |
| 1895/96 | 600 | 500 | 290 | 440 | 59% |
| 1896/97 | 540 | 500 | 300 | 425 | 61% |
| 1897/98 | 580 | 500 | 275 | 425 | 72% |
| 1898/99 | 580 | 500 | 255 | 440 | 71% |
| 1899/1900 | 650 | 500 | 300 | 450 | 74% |
| 1900/01 | 650 | 500 | 300 | 450 | 73% |
| 1901/02 | 650 | 500 | 300 | 440 | 73% |
| 1902/03 | 650 | 500 | 360 | 450 | 73% |
| 1903/04 | 700 | 475 | 362.5 | 450 | 75% |
| 1904/05 | 700 | 450 | 350 | 450 | 75% |
| 1905/06 | 700 | 475 | 310 | 425 | 73% |
| 1906/07 | 700 | 450 | 575 | 470 | 72% |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1872/73AH 1289 | First work | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 150first-salary field |
| 1876 to 1878AH 1293 to 1295 | Mevrude Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 150 to 250 |
| No annual entry: 1878 to 1880 (AH 1296 to 1297) | |||
| 1880 to 1896AH 1298 to 1313 | Mersule Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 350 to 600 |
| 1896 to 1907AH 1314 to 1324 | Mevrude Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 540 to 700 |
Record#
Personal
- Born
- 1857/58 (AH 1274)
- Birthplace
- Istanbul (Dersaadet)
- Community
- Greek Orthodox Christian (Rum)
- Nationality as recorded
- Rum
- Father's occupation
- Esnaf
Education
- Foreign school
- Fransız Mektebi (7 years)French school
- 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
- French
- Kitabetwriting
- Italian
- Kitabetwriting
- Greek (Rum)
- Kitabetwriting. Rum is the word of the records for Greek as spoken by the Orthodox Christians of the empire. It is kept apart from the column Greek, which the records also have
- Turkish
- Kitabetwriting
The glosses are cautious historical readings of the recorded words, not modern levels of proficiency.
First work
- Year
- 1872/73 (AH 1289)
- 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 post (job title and place), same years
Of the 27 officials who held Mersule Memuru in Istanbul in the same years, Todori Efendi had the 8th highest salary.
- Hasib Sami Efendi16 shared years; highest salary 700 kuruş
- İbrahim Ethem Efendi15 shared years; highest salary 700 kuruş
- Mehmet Reşat Efendi9 shared years; highest salary 500 kuruş
- Ayn Fahreddin Efendi8 shared years; highest salary 720 kuruş
- Unnamed official (58_0003;3)7 shared years; highest salary 500 kuruş
Same place, same years
Of the 1,473 officials with entries in Istanbul in the same years, Todori Efendi had the 630th highest salary.
- Suleyman Resat Bey30 shared years; highest salary 7,000 kuruş
- Mehmet Hayri Bey30 shared years; highest salary 5,500 kuruş
- Melkok Efendi30 shared years; highest salary 5,000 kuruş
- Unnamed official (0007_0144; 285)30 shared years; highest salary 2,750 kuruş
- Salih Tevfik Efendi30 shared years; highest salary 2,600 kuruş
Same job title, same years
Of the 54 officials with the title Mersule Memuru in the same years, Todori Efendi had the 15th highest salary.
- Hasib Sami Efendi16 shared years; highest salary 700 kuruş
- İbrahim Ethem Efendi15 shared years; highest salary 700 kuruş
- Ali Cenap Efendi13 shared years; highest salary 550 kuruş
- Ali Rıza Efendi9 shared years; highest salary 550 kuruş
- Mehmet Reşat Efendi9 shared years; highest salary 500 kuruş
Same school
Of the 63 officials with Fransız Mektebi among their schools, Todori Efendi had the 30th highest salary.
- Jan Mıçı Efendiborn 1857/58 (AH 1274); highest salary 720 kuruş
- Kular Vanderya Efendiborn 1856/57 (AH 1273); highest salary 700 kuruş
- Vasilaki Efendiborn 1858/59 (AH 1275); highest salary 700 kuruş
- Lazar Efendiborn 1855/56 (AH 1272); highest salary 400 kuruş
- Lazyan Agob Efendiborn 1855/56 (AH 1272); highest salary 1,000 kuruş
Same birthplace
Of the 1,999 officials born in Istanbul, 1,997 have a recorded salary; Todori Efendi had the 704th highest salary of them.
- Ahmet Emin Efendiborn 1857/58 (AH 1274); highest salary 2,000 kuruş
- Ahmet İzzet Efendiborn 1857/58 (AH 1274); highest salary 1,200 kuruş
- Ahmet Nihalettin Efendiborn 1857/58 (AH 1274); highest salary 800 kuruş
- Ahmet Şefik Efendiborn 1857/58 (AH 1274); highest salary 600 kuruş
- Ali Ferit Efendiborn 1857/58 (AH 1274); highest salary 500 kuruş
First annual entry in the same year
Of the 120 officials whose first annual entry is for 1876/77 (AH 1293), Todori Efendi had the 46th highest salary.
- Kirkor Abdullah Efendifirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 600 kuruş
- Muhittin Sırrı Beyfirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 675 kuruş
- Osman İhsan Efendifirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 535 kuruş
- Ali Nuri Efendifirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 440 kuruş
- Ali Rıza Efendifirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 2,000 kuruş
All 120 officials whose first annual entry is for 1876/77 (AH 1293)
Full record
Annual entries (30)
| Year | Title | Place | Kuruş a month | Institution | Source | Archive reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1876/77AH 1293 | Mevrude Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 150 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_363; 723 |
| 1877/78AH 1294 | Mevrude Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 150 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_363; 723 |
| 1878AH 1295 | Mevrude Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 250 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_363; 723 |
| 1880/81AH 1298 | Mersule Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 350 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_363; 723 |
| 1881/82AH 1299 | Mersule Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 350 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_363; 723 |
| 1882/83AH 1300 | Mersule Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_363; 723 |
| 1883/84AH 1301 | Mersule Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_363; 723 |
| 1884/85AH 1302 | Mersule Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_363; 723 |
| 1885/86AH 1303 | Mersule Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_363; 723 |
| 1886/87AH 1304 | Mersule Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_363; 723 |
| 1887/88AH 1305 | Mersule Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_363; 723 |
| 1888/89AH 1306 | Mersule Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_363; 723 |
| 1889/90AH 1307 | Mersule Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_363; 723 |
| 1890/91AH 1308 | Mersule Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_363; 723 |
| 1891/92AH 1309 | Mersule Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_363; 723 |
| 1892/93AH 1310 | Mersule Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_363; 723 |
| 1893/94AH 1311 | Mersule Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_363; 723 |
| 1894/95AH 1312 | Mersule Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_363; 723 |
| 1895/96AH 1313 | Mersule Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_363; 723 |
| 1896/97AH 1314 | Mevrude Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 540 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_363; 723 |
| 1897/98AH 1315 | Mevrude Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 580 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_363; 723 |
| 1898/99AH 1316 | Mevrude Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 580 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_363; 723 |
| 1899/1900AH 1317 | Mevrude Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 650 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_363; 723 |
| 1900/01AH 1318 | Mevrude Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 650 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_363; 723 |
| 1901/02AH 1319 | Mevrude Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 650 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_363; 723 |
| 1902/03AH 1320 | Mevrude Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 650 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_363; 723 |
| 1903/04AH 1321 | Mevrude Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 700 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_363; 723 |
| 1904/05AH 1322 | Mevrude Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 700 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_363; 723 |
| 1905/06AH 1323 | Mevrude Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 700 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_363; 723 |
| 1906/07AH 1324 | Mevrude Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 700 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_363; 723 |
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 (14)
| Field | Recorded value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | ||
| Name | Todori Efendi | Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Birth year (AH) | 1274 | 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 | Hristiyan | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Nationality or community | Rum | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Schooling | ||
| School | Fransiz 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) | 3 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| First work | ||
| First work: year (AH) | 1289 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| First work: Gregorian year as stored | 1872 | 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 |
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.
- 29 annual entries of 30 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
- Todori Efendi
- Official for outgoing items (Mersule Memuru)
- Istanbul (Dersaadet)
- French school (Fransız Mektebi)
- Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)
- Greek Orthodox Christian (Rum)
- Official for incoming items (Mevrude 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)