Official
Mehmet Mahcub Bey
Muslim (Müslüman). Born in Istanbul (Dersaadet) in 1849/50 (AH 1266). On record 1870 to 1900, 31 annual entries. Death recorded 1900/01.
Archive reference 0034_0092; 181
Life#
Mehmet Mahcub Bey was born in Istanbul in 1849/50 (AH 1266) into the Muslim (Müslüman) community; the father's occupation was "Saray Hizmetlisi". Schooling took seven years, at a middle school (Rüşdiye Mektebi); Mehmet Mahcub also attended the telegraph school and held a qualification (a diploma, certificate, training or decoration).
At about 17, in 1867/68, Mehmet Mahcub began work in Istanbul, with three unpaid years as a mülazım (apprentice) before a first salary of 200 kuruş. Every annual entry from 1870/71 to 1899/1900 places Mehmet Mahcub in Istanbul, the birthplace, first as a communications official (Muhabere Memuru), from 1894/95 as a chief communications official (Başmuhabere Memuru). Only 11 per cent of the 775 officials whose entries span 30 years or more stayed in one place throughout.
Pay rose from 200 kuruş a month in 1870/71 to a peak of 1,100 in 1895/96, as Başmuhabere Memuru in Istanbul, when nine in ten paid officials earned less. That salary was paid for a single year, and the next list gives 990 kuruş. In all, 31 years of salary come to 244,320 kuruş, 1.3 times what an official on the median salary earned in those years. After the last annual entry, for 1899/1900, the list of 1900/01 (AH 1318) gives the status word Vefat (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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1870/71 | 200 | 600 | 400 | 5% |
| 1871/72 | 235 | 550 | 400 | 8% |
| 1872/73 | 300 | 550 | 400 | 11% |
| 1873/74 | 365 | 500 | 400 | 18% |
| 1874/75 | 450 | 535 | 450 | 32% |
| 1875/76 | 450 | 530 | 400 | 34% |
| 1876/77 | 750 | 582.5 | 410 | 63% |
| 1877/78 | 750 | 560 | 410 | 65% |
| 1878 | 750 | 600 | 500 | 61% |
| 1878/79 | 750 | 600 | 420 | 63% |
| 1879/80 | 600 | 500 | 380 | 61% |
| 1880/81 | 600 | 500 | 400 | 60% |
| 1881/82 | 600 | 500 | 400 | 60% |
| 1882/83 | 600 | 500 | 400 | 59% |
| 1883/84 | 600 | 500 | 400 | 59% |
| 1884/85 | 600 | 500 | 400 | 59% |
| 1885/86 | 600 | 500 | 400 | 58% |
| 1886/87 | 600 | 500 | 400 | 59% |
| 1887/88 | 600 | 500 | 400 | 58% |
| 1888/89 | 650 | 500 | 400 | 70% |
| 1889/90 | 650 | 500 | 400 | 71% |
| 1890/91 | 650 | 500 | 400 | 71% |
| 1891/92 | 700 | 500 | 400 | 73% |
| 1892/93 | 700 | 500 | 400 | 73% |
| 1893/94 | 750 | 500 | 400 | 76% |
| 1894/95 | 800 | 500 | 600 | 81% |
| 1895/96 | 1,100 | 500 | 600 | 90% |
| 1896/97 | 990 | 500 | 540 | 90% |
| 1897/98 | 990 | 500 | 540 | 90% |
| 1898/99 | 990 | 500 | 540 | 89% |
| 1899/1900 | 990 | 500 | 540 | 88% |
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) | 200first-salary field |
| 1870 to 1894AH 1287 to 1311 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 200 to 750 |
| 1894 to 1900AH 1312 to 1317 | Başmuhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 800 to 990 |
| 1900/01AH 1318 | Death recorded | ||
Record#
Personal
- Born
- 1849/50 (AH 1266)
- Birthplace
- Istanbul (Dersaadet)
- Community
- Muslim (Müslüman)
- Nationality as recorded
- Turkish
- Father's occupation
- Saray Hizmetlisi
- Death recorded
- 1900/01 (AH 1318)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)
- Higher or professional
- Telgraf Mektebitelegraph school; recorded as a code
- Unpaid years (mülazemet)
- 3 years
- 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
- 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)
- 200
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 1,219 officials with entries in Istanbul in the same years, Mehmet Mahcub Bey had the 338th highest salary.
- Suleyman Resat Bey31 shared years; highest salary 7,000 kuruş
- Mehmet Hayri Bey31 shared years; highest salary 5,500 kuruş
- Melkok Efendi31 shared years; highest salary 5,000 kuruş
- Mehmet Salim Bey31 shared years; highest salary 3,000 kuruş
- Mustafa Fahrettin Bey31 shared years; highest salary 3,000 kuruş
Same job title, same years
Of the 1,568 officials with the title Muhabere Memuru in the same years, Mehmet Mahcub Bey had the 205th highest salary.
- Tahir Efendi25 shared years; highest salary 1,500 kuruş
- Nikola Yunani Efendi25 shared years; highest salary 1,350 kuruş
- Mehmet Nazım Efendi25 shared years; highest salary 1,300 kuruş
- Şarl Laze Efendi25 shared years; highest salary 1,250 kuruş
- Tatar Ağası Zade Hafız Abdullah Efendi25 shared years; highest salary 1,100 kuruş
Same school
Of the 3,206 officials with Rüşdiye Mektebi among their schools, 3,200 have a recorded salary; Mehmet Mahcub Bey had the 262nd highest salary of them.
- Abdulvahab Efendiborn 1849/50 (AH 1266); highest salary 500 kuruş
- Ahmet Cemal Efendiborn 1849/50 (AH 1266); highest salary 760 kuruş
- Ahmet Halit Efendiborn 1849/50 (AH 1266); highest salary 720 kuruş
- Ahmet Latif Efendiborn 1849/50 (AH 1266); highest salary 800 kuruş
- Ahmet Recai Efendiborn 1849/50 (AH 1266); highest salary 500 kuruş
Same birthplace
Of the 1,999 officials born in Istanbul, 1,997 have a recorded salary; Mehmet Mahcub Bey had the 325th highest salary of them.
- Abdullah Naili Efendiborn 1849/50 (AH 1266); highest salary 600 kuruş
- Ahmet Halit Efendiborn 1849/50 (AH 1266); highest salary 720 kuruş
- Ahmet Latif Efendiborn 1849/50 (AH 1266); highest salary 800 kuruş
- Ali Galip Beyborn 1849/50 (AH 1266); highest salary 20,000 kuruş
- Ali Riza Efendiborn 1849/50 (AH 1266); highest salary 600 kuruş
First annual entry in the same year
Of the 66 officials whose first annual entry is for 1870/71 (AH 1287), Mehmet Mahcub Bey had the 22nd highest salary.
- Antuvan Ramiz Efendifirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 630 kuruş
- Mehmet Nuri Efendifirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 1,000 kuruş
- Refet Efendifirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 1,480 kuruş
- Mehmet Şükrü Efendifirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 2,500 kuruş
- Hafız Kemal Beyfirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 1,000 kuruş
Full record
Annual entries (31)
| Year | Title | Place | Kuruş a month | Institution | Source | Archive reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1870/71AH 1287 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 200 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0092; 181 |
| 1871/72AH 1288 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 235 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0092; 181 |
| 1872/73AH 1289 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 300 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0092; 181 |
| 1873/74AH 1290 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 365 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0092; 181 |
| 1874/75AH 1291 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 450 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0092; 181 |
| 1875/76AH 1292 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 450 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0092; 181 |
| 1876/77AH 1293 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 750 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0092; 181 |
| 1877/78AH 1294 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 750 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0092; 181 |
| 1878AH 1295 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 750 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0092; 181 |
| 1878/79AH 1296 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 750 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0092; 181 |
| 1879/80AH 1297 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0092; 181 |
| 1880/81AH 1298 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0092; 181 |
| 1881/82AH 1299 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0092; 181 |
| 1882/83AH 1300 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0092; 181 |
| 1883/84AH 1301 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0092; 181 |
| 1884/85AH 1302 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0092; 181 |
| 1885/86AH 1303 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0092; 181 |
| 1886/87AH 1304 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0092; 181 |
| 1887/88AH 1305 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0092; 181 |
| 1888/89AH 1306 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 650 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0092; 181 |
| 1889/90AH 1307 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 650 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0092; 181 |
| 1890/91AH 1308 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 650 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0092; 181 |
| 1891/92AH 1309 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 700 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0092; 181 |
| 1892/93AH 1310 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 700 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0092; 181 |
| 1893/94AH 1311 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 750 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0092; 181 |
| 1894/95AH 1312 | Başmuhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 800 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0092; 181 |
| 1895/96AH 1313 | Başmuhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,100 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0092; 181 |
| 1896/97AH 1314 | Başmuhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 990 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0092; 181 |
| 1897/98AH 1315 | Başmuhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 990 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0092; 181 |
| 1898/99AH 1316 | Başmuhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 990 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0092; 181 |
| 1899/1900AH 1317 | Başmuhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 990 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0034_0092; 181 |
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 (16)
| Field | Recorded value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | ||
| Name | Mehmet Mahcub Bey | Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Birth year (AH) | 1266 | 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 | Saray Hizmetlisi | 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 |
| Telegraph school (recorded code) | 1 | 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) | 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) | 200 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Status | ||
| Death recorded under the year (AH) | 1318 | 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.
- 31 annual entries of 31 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 Mahcub Bey
- Communications official (Muhabere Memuru)
- Istanbul (Dersaadet)
- Rüşdiye school (Rüşdiye Mektebi)
- Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)
- Muslim (Müslüman)
- Chief communications official (Başmuhabere 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)