Official
Mehmet Ali Efendi
Muslim (Müslüman). Born in Istanbul (Dersaadet) in 1834/35 (AH 1250). On record 1854 to 1883, 30 annual entries. Death recorded 1883/84.
Archive reference 0006_0341; 677
Life#
Mehmet Ali Efendi was born in Istanbul in 1834/35 (AH 1250) into the Muslim (Müslüman) community; the father was a tradesman (esnaf). Schooling took four years, at a school for young children (Sıbyan Mektebi).
Mehmet Ali began work in the Maliye Kalemi in Istanbul in 1853/54, at about 19, paid from the start, on 50 kuruş a month. From 1854/55 to 1882/83 every annual entry places Mehmet Ali in Istanbul, the birthplace, first in the Vezne Kitabeti, from 1858/59 as Rusumat Veznedari. Of the 775 officials whose entries span 30 years or more, 11 per cent stayed in one place throughout.
Pay rose from 50 kuruş a month in 1854/55 to a peak of 1,000 in 1878, as Rusumat Veznedari in Istanbul, when 76 per cent of paid officials earned less. Over 30 years the salaries add up to 238,548 kuruş, 1.2 times what an official on the median salary earned. The peak was 20 times the first salary, a rise matched by fewer than 5 per cent of the 2,859 officials paid for ten years or more. After the last annual entry, for 1882/83, the list of 1883/84 (AH 1301) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1854/55 | 50 | 400 | 0% | |
| 1855/56 | 150 | 432.5 | 17% | |
| 1856/57 | 150 | 375 | 23% | |
| 1857/58 | 300 | 475 | 34% | |
| 1858/59 | 450 | 500 | 48% | |
| 1859/60 | 450 | 500 | 48% | |
| 1860/61 | 450 | 500 | 35% | |
| 1861/62 | 450 | 600 | 31% | |
| 1862/63 | 450 | 500 | 31% | |
| 1863/64 | 500 | 500 | 32% | |
| 1864/65 | 500 | 625 | 28% | |
| 1865/66 | 700 | 650 | 50% | |
| 1866/67 | 630 | 600 | 56% | |
| 1867/68 | 683 | 600 | 57% | |
| 1868/69 | 683 | 600 | 58% | |
| 1869/70 | 683 | 600 | 58% | |
| 1870/71 | 875 | 600 | 70% | |
| 1871/72 | 825 | 550 | 72% | |
| 1872/73 | 825 | 550 | 72% | |
| 1873/74 | 825 | 500 | 73% | |
| 1874/75 | 825 | 535 | 73% | |
| 1875/76 | 825 | 530 | 74% | |
| 1876/77 | 900 | 582.5 | 75% | |
| 1877/78 | 900 | 560 | 77% | |
| 1878 | 1,000 | 600 | 76% | |
| 1878/79 | 1,000 | 600 | 77% | |
| 1879/80 | 800 | 500 | 77% | |
| 1880/81 | 1,000 | 500 | 84% | |
| 1881/82 | 1,000 | 500 | 84% | |
| 1882/83 | 1,000 | 500 | 82% |
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 | Maliye Kalemifirst work | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 50first-salary field |
| 1854 to 1858AH 1271 to 1274 | Vezne Kitabeti | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 50 to 300 |
| 1858 to 1883AH 1275 to 1300 | Rusumat Veznedari | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 450 to 1,000 |
| 1883/84AH 1301 | Death recorded | ||
Record#
Personal
- Born
- 1834/35 (AH 1250)
- Birthplace
- Istanbul (Dersaadet)
- Community
- Muslim (Müslüman)
- Nationality as recorded
- turkish
- Father's occupation
- esnaf
- Death recorded
- 1883/84 (AH 1301)the year of the annual list with the word Vefat, not a date of death
Education
- Primary
- Sıbyan Mektebi (4 years)school for young children (primary school)
- Unpaid years (mülazemet)
- 0 years
- 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
- 1853/54 (AH 1270)
- Place
- Istanbul (Dersaadet)
- First job as worded
- Maliye Kalemi
- Age at first work (workbook field)
- 20
- First salary field (kuruş a month)
- 50
- First-job salary of the original workbook (kuruş a month)
- 50
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 613 officials with entries in Istanbul in the same years, Mehmet Ali Efendi had the 305th highest salary.
- Unnamed official (5_316; 629)29 shared years; highest salary 1,100 kuruş
- Mahmut Aziz Efendi28 shared years; highest salary 3,500 kuruş
- İsmail İsmet Efendi26 shared years; highest salary 600 kuruş
- Yanko Makridi Efendi25 shared years; highest salary 3,200 kuruş
- Ali Kaya Bey25 shared years; highest salary 2,500 kuruş
Same school
Of the 746 officials with Sıbyan Mektebi among their schools, 745 have a recorded salary; Mehmet Ali Efendi had the 194th highest salary of them.
- Abdulkadir Efendiborn 1834/35 (AH 1250); highest salary 3,000 kuruş
- Abdullah Efendiborn 1834/35 (AH 1250); highest salary 2,640 kuruş
- El-Hac Ahmet Nafiz Efendiborn 1834/35 (AH 1250); highest salary 1,000 kuruş
- Hacı Ömer Efendiborn 1834/35 (AH 1250); highest salary 1,000 kuruş
- Hasan Edip Efendiborn 1834/35 (AH 1250); highest salary 7,000 kuruş
Same birthplace
Of the 1,999 officials born in Istanbul, 1,997 have a recorded salary; Mehmet Ali Efendi had the 354th highest salary of them.
- Ahmet Resmi Efendiborn 1834/35 (AH 1250); highest salary 400 kuruş
- El-Hac Ahmet Nafiz Efendiborn 1834/35 (AH 1250); highest salary 1,000 kuruş
- Hasan Edip Efendiborn 1834/35 (AH 1250); highest salary 7,000 kuruş
- İsmail Hakkı Efendiborn 1834/35 (AH 1250); highest salary 2,500 kuruş
- Karabet Efendiborn 1834/35 (AH 1250); highest salary 720 kuruş
First annual entry in the same year
Of the 9 officials whose first annual entry is for 1854/55 (AH 1271), Mehmet Ali Efendi had the 8th highest salary.
- Mehmet Tevfik Beyfirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 4,500 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 (30)
| Year | Title | Place | Kuruş a month | Institution | Source | Archive reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1854/55AH 1271 | Vezne Kitabeti | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 50 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0006_0341; 677 |
| 1855/56AH 1272 | Vezne Kitabeti | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 150 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0006_0341; 677 |
| 1856/57AH 1273 | Vezne Kitabeti | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 150 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0006_0341; 677 |
| 1857/58AH 1274 | Vezne Kitabeti | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 300 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0006_0341; 677 |
| 1858/59AH 1275 | Rusumat Veznedari | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 450 | Customs (Gümrük) | Cross-ministry personnel workbook | 0006_0341; 677 |
| 1859/60AH 1276 | Rusumat Veznedari | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 450 | Customs (Gümrük) | Cross-ministry personnel workbook | 0006_0341; 677 |
| 1860/61AH 1277 | Rusumat Veznedari | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 450 | Customs (Gümrük) | Cross-ministry personnel workbook | 0006_0341; 677 |
| 1861/62AH 1278 | Rusumat Veznedari | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 450 | Customs (Gümrük) | Cross-ministry personnel workbook | 0006_0341; 677 |
| 1862/63AH 1279 | Rusumat Veznedari | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 450 | Customs (Gümrük) | Cross-ministry personnel workbook | 0006_0341; 677 |
| 1863/64AH 1280 | Rusumat Veznedari | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 500 | Customs (Gümrük) | Cross-ministry personnel workbook | 0006_0341; 677 |
| 1864/65AH 1281 | Rusumat Veznedari | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 500 | Customs (Gümrük) | Cross-ministry personnel workbook | 0006_0341; 677 |
| 1865/66AH 1282 | Rusumat Veznedari | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 700 | Customs (Gümrük) | Cross-ministry personnel workbook | 0006_0341; 677 |
| 1866/67AH 1283 | Rusumat Veznedari | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 630 | Customs (Gümrük) | Cross-ministry personnel workbook | 0006_0341; 677 |
| 1867/68AH 1284 | Rusumat Veznedari | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 683 | Customs (Gümrük) | Cross-ministry personnel workbook | 0006_0341; 677 |
| 1868/69AH 1285 | Rusumat Veznedari | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 683 | Customs (Gümrük) | Cross-ministry personnel workbook | 0006_0341; 677 |
| 1869/70AH 1286 | Rusumat Veznedari | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 683 | Customs (Gümrük) | Cross-ministry personnel workbook | 0006_0341; 677 |
| 1870/71AH 1287 | Rusumat Veznedari | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 875 | Customs (Gümrük) | Cross-ministry personnel workbook | 0006_0341; 677 |
| 1871/72AH 1288 | Rusumat Veznedari | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 825 | Customs (Gümrük) | Cross-ministry personnel workbook | 0006_0341; 677 |
| 1872/73AH 1289 | Rusumat Veznedari | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 825 | Customs (Gümrük) | Cross-ministry personnel workbook | 0006_0341; 677 |
| 1873/74AH 1290 | Rusumat Veznedari | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 825 | Customs (Gümrük) | Cross-ministry personnel workbook | 0006_0341; 677 |
| 1874/75AH 1291 | Rusumat Veznedari | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 825 | Customs (Gümrük) | Cross-ministry personnel workbook | 0006_0341; 677 |
| 1875/76AH 1292 | Rusumat Veznedari | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 825 | Customs (Gümrük) | Cross-ministry personnel workbook | 0006_0341; 677 |
| 1876/77AH 1293 | Rusumat Veznedari | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 900 | Customs (Gümrük) | Cross-ministry personnel workbook | 0006_0341; 677 |
| 1877/78AH 1294 | Rusumat Veznedari | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 900 | Customs (Gümrük) | Cross-ministry personnel workbook | 0006_0341; 677 |
| 1878AH 1295 | Rusumat Veznedari | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,000 | Customs (Gümrük) | Cross-ministry personnel workbook | 0006_0341; 677 |
| 1878/79AH 1296 | Rusumat Veznedari | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,000 | Customs (Gümrük) | Cross-ministry personnel workbook | 0006_0341; 677 |
| 1879/80AH 1297 | Rusumat Veznedari | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 800 | Customs (Gümrük) | Cross-ministry personnel workbook | 0006_0341; 677 |
| 1880/81AH 1298 | Rusumat Veznedari | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,000 | Customs (Gümrük) | Cross-ministry personnel workbook | 0006_0341; 677 |
| 1881/82AH 1299 | Rusumat Veznedari | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,000 | Customs (Gümrük) | Cross-ministry personnel workbook | 0006_0341; 677 |
| 1882/83AH 1300 | Rusumat Veznedari | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,000 | Customs (Gümrük) | Cross-ministry personnel workbook | 0006_0341; 677 |
What the sources named in this table are
- Cross-ministry personnel workbook
- A personnel workbook with the annual entries in institutions other than the Post and Telegraph (justice, land registry, customs, police and others), with the same annual fields as the personnel workbook.
- 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 (25)
| Field | Recorded value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | ||
| Name | Mehmet Ali Efendi | Linked personnel workbook |
| Birth year (AH) | 1250 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract; Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| Birthplace | dersaadet used on this page | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Birthplace | istanbul other value | Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| Birthplace: district (kaza) | istanbul | Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| Birthplace: sancak | istanbul | Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| Birthplace: province (vilayet) | istanbul | Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| 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; Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| Religion | musluman | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract; Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| Nationality or community | turkish | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract; Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| Schooling | ||
| School | sibyan mektebi | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract; Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| Years of schooling | 4 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract; Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| Years of apprenticeship (mülazemet) | 0 used on this page | Recovered annual personnel extract |
| Years of apprenticeship (mülazemet) | 1 other value | Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| First work | ||
| First work: year (AH) | 1270 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract; Linked personnel workbook |
| First work: place | istanbul | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract; Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| First work: district (kaza) | istanbul | Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| First work: sancak | istanbul | Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| First work: province (vilayet) | istanbul | Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| First job as worded | Maliye Kalemi | Linked personnel workbook; Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| Age at first work (workbook field) | 20 | Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| First salary field (kuruş a month) | 50 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| First-job salary of the original workbook (kuruş a month) | 50 | Linked personnel workbook; Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| Status | ||
| Death recorded under the year (AH) | 1301 | 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.
- Cross-ministry personnel workbook
- A personnel workbook with the annual entries in institutions other than the Post and Telegraph (justice, land registry, customs, police and others), with the same annual fields as the personnel workbook.
- 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.
- Linked personnel workbook
- The original personnel workbook, from which selected fields on background and first work are taken.
- The sources give more than one value for a marked field. Every value is listed.
- Origin of the record: Post and Telegraph personnel records.
How to read this record: calendar years, years without an annual entry, salaries and sources.
Subjects
- Mehmet Ali Efendi
- Rusumat Veznedari
- Istanbul (Dersaadet)
- School for young children (Sıbyan Mektebi)
- Customs (Gümrük)
- Muslim (Müslüman)
- Vezne Kitabeti
- 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)