Official
Mehmet Tevfik Bey
Muslim (Müslüman). Born in Cairo (Kahire) in 1834/35 (AH 1250). On record 1854 to 1880, 25 annual entries.
Archive reference 0002_004; 80
Life#
Mehmet Tevfik Bey was born in Cairo (Kahire) in 1834/35 (AH 1250) into the Muslim (Müslüman) community; the father's occupation was "Vali Kethudasi". At about 19, in 1853/54, Mehmet Tevfik began work in Istanbul, with one unpaid year as a mülazım (apprentice) before a first salary of 250 kuruş. The first annual entry, for 1854/55, places Mehmet Tevfik in Istanbul as a communications official (Muhabere Memuru), where the entries run to 1875/76, with a rise to Esya Kalemi Muduru in 1865/66 and to Meclis Riyaseti in 1871/72. The last posts were in Üsküdar from 1876 to 1878 and Istanbul again in 1879/80.
Pay rose from 250 kuruş a month in 1854/55 to a peak of 4,500 in 1873/74, as Meclis Riyaseti in Istanbul, when 99 per cent of paid officials earned less. Over 25 years the salaries add up to 670,860 kuruş, 4.2 times what an official on the median salary earned, a level reached by fewer than 3 per cent of the 3,805 officials paid for five years or more. The peak was 18 times the first salary, a rise matched by fewer than 6 per cent of the 2,859 officials paid for ten years or more. The final annual entry is for 1879/80.
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 1834/35 (AH 1250)
First work 1853/54 (AH 1270); 1854 to 1876 (AH 1271 to 1292)
Muhabere Memuru 1854 to 1865 (AH 1271 to 1281); Esya Kalemi Muduru 1865 to 1871 (AH 1282 to 1287); Meclis Riyaseti 1871 to 1876 (AH 1288 to 1292)
250 to 4,500 kuruş a month; entries in 22 years
1879/80 (AH 1297)
No annual entry for 1878 to 1879 (AH 1295 to 1296) before it.
2,500 kuruş a month; entries in 1 year
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1854/55 | 250 | 400 | 27% | |
| 1855/56 | 415 | 432.5 | 48% | |
| 1856/57 | 590 | 375 | 400 | 67% |
| 1857/58 | 750 | 475 | 400 | 64% |
| 1858/59 | 900 | 500 | 500 | 72% |
| 1859/60 | 1,050 | 500 | 500 | 79% |
| 1860/61 | 1,250 | 500 | 500 | 80% |
| 1861/62 | 1,400 | 600 | 500 | 80% |
| 1862/63 | 1,550 | 500 | 500 | 88% |
| 1863/64 | 1,750 | 500 | 500 | 86% |
| 1864/65 | 1,900 | 625 | 570 | 86% |
| 1865/66 | 2,500 | 650 | 91% | |
| 1866/67 | 2,000 | 600 | 90% | |
| 1867/68 | 2,400 | 600 | 92% | |
| 1868/69 | 2,400 | 600 | 93% | |
| 1869/70 | 2,650 | 600 | 95% | |
| 1870/71 | 2,650 | 600 | 95% | |
| 1871/72 | 3,750 | 550 | 98% | |
| 1872/73 | 3,750 | 550 | 98% | |
| 1873/74 | 4,500 | 500 | 99% | |
| 1874/75 | 4,500 | 535 | 99% | |
| 1875/76 | 4,500 | 530 | 99% | |
| 1876/77 | 3,000 | 582.5 | 2,000 | 96% |
| 1877/78 | 3,000 | 560 | 2,000 | 96% |
| 1879/80 | 2,500 | 500 | 96% |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1853/54AH 1270 | First work | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 250first-salary field |
| 1854 to 1865AH 1271 to 1281 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 250 to 1,900 |
| 1865 to 1871AH 1282 to 1287 | Esya Kalemi Muduru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 2,500 to 2,650 |
| 1871 to 1876AH 1288 to 1292 | Meclis Riyaseti | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 3,750 to 4,500 |
| 1876 to 1878AH 1293 to 1294 | Müfettiş | Üsküdar | 3,000 |
| No annual entry: 1878 to 1879 (AH 1295 to 1296) | |||
| 1879/80AH 1297 | Meclis Azaligi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 2,500 |
Record#
Personal
- Born
- 1834/35 (AH 1250)
- Birthplace
- Cairo (Kahire)
- Community
- Muslim (Müslüman)
- Nationality as recorded
- Turkish
- Father's occupation
- Vali Kethudasi
Education
- Rüşdiye
- Rüşdiye Mektebi (7 years)rüşdiye school (middle school)
- Unpaid years (mülazemet)
- 1 year
- Preparation route (classification of the paper)
- Middle
- Qualification (diploma, certificate, training or nişan)
- Yes
The years count all schooling up to that school, as the record gives them.
Languages
- Arabic
- Kitabetwriting
- Turkish
- Kitabetwriting
The glosses are cautious historical readings of the recorded words, not modern levels of proficiency.
First work
- Year
- 1853/54 (AH 1270)
- Place
- Istanbul (Dersaadet)
- First salary field (kuruş a month)
- 250
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 490 officials with entries in Istanbul in the same years, Mehmet Tevfik Bey had the 39th highest salary.
- Mehmet Ali Efendi23 shared years; highest salary 1,000 kuruş
- Unnamed official (5_316; 629)22 shared years; highest salary 1,100 kuruş
- Mahmut Aziz Efendi21 shared years; highest salary 3,500 kuruş
- Mustafa Efendi20 shared years; highest salary 1,500 kuruş
- İsmail İsmet Efendi20 shared years; highest salary 600 kuruş
Same job title, same years
Of the 113 officials with the title Muhabere Memuru in the same years, Mehmet Tevfik Bey had the 4th highest salary.
- Mahmut Aziz Efendi8 shared years; highest salary 3,500 kuruş
- Odi Efendi7 shared years; highest salary 4,000 kuruş
- Mehmet Tevfik Efendi7 shared years; highest salary 1,300 kuruş
- İbrahim Hakkı Efendi7 shared years; highest salary 1,000 kuruş
- Hasan Efendi6 shared years; highest salary 2,500 kuruş
Same school
Of the 3,206 officials with Rüşdiye Mektebi among their schools, 3,200 have a recorded salary; Mehmet Tevfik Bey had the 17th highest salary of them.
- Ahmet Resmi Efendiborn 1834/35 (AH 1250); highest salary 400 kuruş
- İsmail Hakkı Efendiborn 1834/35 (AH 1250); highest salary 2,500 kuruş
- Mehmet Şükrü Efendiborn 1834/35 (AH 1250); highest salary 1,300 kuruş
- Mustafa Necip Beyborn 1834/35 (AH 1250); highest salary 3,000 kuruş
- Sadık Efendiborn 1834/35 (AH 1250); highest salary 900 kuruş
First annual entry in the same year
Of the 9 officials whose first annual entry is for 1854/55 (AH 1271), Mehmet Tevfik Bey had the highest salary.
- Mehmet Ali Efendifirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 1,000 kuruş
- Mahmut Aziz Efendifirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 3,500 kuruş
- Unnamed official (5_316; 629)first entry in Istanbul; highest salary 1,100 kuruş
- Mehmet Akif Efendifirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 1,500 kuruş
- Hacı Ömer Efendifirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 4,000 kuruş
Full record
Annual entries (25)
| Year | Title | Place | Kuruş a month | Institution | Source | Archive reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1854/55AH 1271 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 250 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0002_004; 80 |
| 1855/56AH 1272 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 415 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0002_004; 80 |
| 1856/57AH 1273 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 590 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0002_004; 80 |
| 1857/58AH 1274 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 750 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0002_004; 80 |
| 1858/59AH 1275 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 900 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0002_004; 80 |
| 1859/60AH 1276 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,050 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0002_004; 80 |
| 1860/61AH 1277 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,250 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0002_004; 80 |
| 1861/62AH 1278 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,400 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0002_004; 80 |
| 1862/63AH 1279 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,550 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0002_004; 80 |
| 1863/64AH 1280 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,750 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0002_004; 80 |
| 1864/65AH 1281 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,900 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0002_004; 80 |
| 1865/66AH 1282 | Esya Kalemi Muduru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 2,500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0002_004; 80 |
| 1866/67AH 1283 | Esya Kalemi Muduru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 2,000 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0002_004; 80 |
| 1867/68AH 1284 | Esya Kalemi Muduru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 2,400 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0002_004; 80 |
| 1868/69AH 1285 | Esya Kalemi Muduru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 2,400 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0002_004; 80 |
| 1869/70AH 1286 | Esya Kalemi Muduru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 2,650 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0002_004; 80 |
| 1870/71AH 1287 | Esya Kalemi Muduru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 2,650 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0002_004; 80 |
| 1871/72AH 1288 | Meclis Riyaseti | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 3,750 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0002_004; 80 |
| 1872/73AH 1289 | Meclis Riyaseti | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 3,750 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0002_004; 80 |
| 1873/74AH 1290 | Meclis Riyaseti | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 4,500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0002_004; 80 |
| 1874/75AH 1291 | Meclis Riyaseti | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 4,500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0002_004; 80 |
| 1875/76AH 1292 | Meclis Riyaseti | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 4,500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0002_004; 80 |
| 1876/77AH 1293 | Müfettiş | Üsküdar | 3,000 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0002_004; 80 |
| 1877/78AH 1294 | Müfettiş | Üsküdar | 3,000 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0002_004; 80 |
| 1879/80AH 1297 | Meclis Azaligi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 2,500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0002_004; 80 |
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 Tevfik Bey | Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Birth year (AH) | 1250 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Birthplace | kahire | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Province of birth | misir | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Father's occupation | vali kethudasi | 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) | 1 used on this page | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Years of apprenticeship (mülazemet) | 0 other value | Recovered annual personnel extract |
| First work | ||
| First work: year (AH) | 1270 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| First work: Gregorian year as stored | 1854 | 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) | 250 | 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.
- The sources give more than one value for a marked field. Every value is listed.
- Origin of the record: Post and Telegraph personnel records.
- 9 annual entries of 25 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 Tevfik Bey
- Communications official (Muhabere Memuru)
- Istanbul (Dersaadet)
- Cairo (Kahire)
- 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)