Official
Vasilaki Efendi
Greek Orthodox Christian (Rum). Born in Istanbul (Dersaadet) in 1858/59 (AH 1275). On record 1891 to 1907, 16 annual entries.
Archive reference 89_119; 235
Life#
Vasilaki Efendi was born in Istanbul in 1858/59 (AH 1275), into the Greek Orthodox Christian (Rum) community. Schooling took seven years, at a French school (Fransız Mektebi); Vasilaki also wrote French as well as Turkish.
At about 30, in 1888/89, Vasilaki began work in Istanbul, with three unpaid years as a mülazım (apprentice) before a first salary of 200 kuruş. Few began so late; fewer than 4 per cent of the 5,128 officials whose age at first work is known started at 30 or older. Every annual entry from 1891/92 to 1906/07 places Vasilaki in Galata, with four changes of title, from postal official (Posta Memuru) to official for incoming items (Mevrude Memuru) in 1902/03.
The salary went from 200 kuruş a month in 1891/92 to 700 in 1905/06, the peak, as Mevrude Memuru in Galata, when 73 per cent of paid officials earned less. The last annual entry is for 1906/07.
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 1858/59 (AH 1275); First work 1888/89 (AH 1306)
1891 to 1907 (AH 1309 to 1324)
Posta Memuru 1891 to 1893 (AH 1309 to 1310); Taahhüt Memuru 1893 to 1896 (AH 1311 to 1313); Mersule Memuru 1896 to 1898 (AH 1314 to 1315); Tefrik Odası 1898 to 1902 (AH 1316 to 1319); Mevrude Memuru 1902 to 1907 (AH 1320 to 1324)
200 to 700 kuruş a month; entries in 16 years
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1891/92 | 200 | 500 | 350 | 500 | 9% |
| 1892/93 | 200 | 500 | 350 | 500 | 9% |
| 1893/94 | 200 | 500 | 480 | 9% | |
| 1894/95 | 230 | 500 | 450 | 13% | |
| 1895/96 | 260 | 500 | 440 | 16% | |
| 1896/97 | 300 | 500 | 212.5 | 425 | 18% |
| 1897/98 | 300 | 500 | 135 | 425 | 19% |
| 1898/99 | 400 | 500 | 400 | 440 | 31% |
| 1899/1900 | 440 | 500 | 440 | 450 | 43% |
| 1900/01 | 475 | 500 | 400 | 450 | 45% |
| 1901/02 | 575 | 500 | 400 | 440 | 66% |
| 1902/03 | 650 | 500 | 360 | 450 | 73% |
| 1903/04 | 650 | 475 | 362.5 | 450 | 73% |
| 1904/05 | 650 | 450 | 350 | 450 | 73% |
| 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1888/89AH 1306 | First work | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 200first-salary field |
| 1891 to 1893AH 1309 to 1310 | Posta Memuru | Galata | 200 |
| 1893 to 1896AH 1311 to 1313 | Taahhüt Memuru | Galata | 200 to 260 |
| 1896 to 1898AH 1314 to 1315 | Mersule Memuru | Galata | 300 |
| 1898 to 1902AH 1316 to 1319 | Tefrik Odası | Galata | 400 to 575 |
| 1902 to 1907AH 1320 to 1324 | Mevrude Memuru | Galata | 650 to 700 |
Record#
Personal
- Born
- 1858/59 (AH 1275)
- Birthplace
- Istanbul (Dersaadet)
- Community
- Greek Orthodox Christian (Rum)
- Nationality as recorded
- Rum
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
- Turkish
- Kitabetwriting
The glosses are cautious historical readings of the recorded words, not modern levels of proficiency.
First work
- Year
- 1888/89 (AH 1306)
- 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 post (job title and place), same years
Of the 8 officials who held Mevrude Memuru in Galata in the same years, Vasilaki Efendi had the 2nd highest salary.
- Antuvan Kabareciyan Efendi5 shared years; highest salary 700 kuruş
- Mehmet Nuri Efendi5 shared years; highest salary 413 kuruş
- Mahmut Cemalettin Efendi5 shared years; highest salary 150 kuruş
- İsmet Efendi4 shared years; highest salary 310 kuruş
- İspiraki Efendi4 shared years; highest salary 230 kuruş
Same place, same years
Of the 111 officials with entries in Galata in the same years, Vasilaki Efendi had the 37th highest salary.
- Ahmet Avni Efendi16 shared years; highest salary 5,000 kuruş
- Dikran Arakilyan Efendi16 shared years; highest salary 1,300 kuruş
- Ruantuvan Efendi16 shared years; highest salary 750 kuruş
- Antuvan Kabareciyan Efendi16 shared years; highest salary 700 kuruş
- Mehmet Nuri Efendi15 shared years; highest salary 413 kuruş
Same job title, same years
Of the 43 officials with the title Mevrude Memuru in the same years, Vasilaki Efendi had the 5th highest salary.
- Antuvan Kabareciyan Efendi5 shared years; highest salary 700 kuruş
- Todori Efendi5 shared years; highest salary 700 kuruş
- Ahmet Efendi5 shared years; highest salary 500 kuruş
- Mehmet Nuri Efendi5 shared years; highest salary 413 kuruş
- Arif Cemil Efendi5 shared years; highest salary 400 kuruş
Same school
Of the 63 officials with Fransız Mektebi among their schools, Vasilaki Efendi had the 30th highest salary.
- Jan Mıçı Efendiborn 1857/58 (AH 1274); highest salary 720 kuruş
- Todori Efendiborn 1857/58 (AH 1274); highest salary 700 kuruş
- Kular Vanderya Efendiborn 1856/57 (AH 1273); highest salary 700 kuruş
- Andon İzekiyan Efendiborn 1860/61 (AH 1277); highest salary 1,000 kuruş
- Lazar Efendiborn 1855/56 (AH 1272); highest salary 400 kuruş
Same birthplace
Of the 1,999 officials born in Istanbul, 1,997 have a recorded salary; Vasilaki Efendi had the 704th highest salary of them.
- Ahmet Faik Efendiborn 1858/59 (AH 1275); highest salary 750 kuruş
- Ahmet Haydar Beyborn 1858/59 (AH 1275); highest salary 1,600 kuruş
- Ahmet Hayri Efendiborn 1858/59 (AH 1275); highest salary 600 kuruş
- Ali Agah Efendiborn 1858/59 (AH 1275); highest salary 500 kuruş
- Ali Fethi Beyborn 1858/59 (AH 1275); highest salary 1,400 kuruş
First annual entry in the same year
Of the 136 officials whose first annual entry is for 1891/92 (AH 1309), Vasilaki Efendi had the 35th highest salary.
- Benakulaki Mafridi Efendifirst entry in Galata; highest salary 600 kuruş
- Hasan Şevki Efendifirst entry in Galata; highest salary 1,000 kuruş
- Kevser Efendifirst entry in Zor; highest salary 790 kuruş
- Mehmet Fuat Efendifirst entry in Marmara Ereğlisi; highest salary 500 kuruş
- Kostantin Efendifirst entry in Rhodes (Rodos); highest salary 500 kuruş
Full record
Annual entries (16)
| Year | Title | Place | Kuruş a month | Institution | Source | Archive reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1891/92AH 1309 | Posta Memuru | Galata | 200 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 89_119; 235 |
| 1892/93AH 1310 | Posta Memuru | Galata | 200 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 89_119; 235 |
| 1893/94AH 1311 | Taahhüt Memuru | Galata | 200 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 89_119; 235 |
| 1894/95AH 1312 | Taahhüt Memuru | Galata | 230 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 89_119; 235 |
| 1895/96AH 1313 | Taahhüt Memuru | Galata | 260 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 89_119; 235 |
| 1896/97AH 1314 | Mersule Memuru | Galata | 300 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 89_119; 235 |
| 1897/98AH 1315 | Mersule Memuru | Galata | 300 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 89_119; 235 |
| 1898/99AH 1316 | Tefrik Odası | Galata | 400 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 89_119; 235 |
| 1899/1900AH 1317 | Tefrik Odası | Galata | 440 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 89_119; 235 |
| 1900/01AH 1318 | Tefrik Odası | Galata | 475 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 89_119; 235 |
| 1901/02AH 1319 | Tefrik Odası | Galata | 575 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 89_119; 235 |
| 1902/03AH 1320 | Mevrude Memuru | Galata | 650 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 89_119; 235 |
| 1903/04AH 1321 | Mevrude Memuru | Galata | 650 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 89_119; 235 |
| 1904/05AH 1322 | Mevrude Memuru | Galata | 650 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 89_119; 235 |
| 1905/06AH 1323 | Mevrude Memuru | Galata | 700 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 89_119; 235 |
| 1906/07AH 1324 | Mevrude Memuru | Galata | 700 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 89_119; 235 |
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 (13)
| Field | Recorded value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | ||
| Name | Vasilaki Efendi | Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Birth year (AH) | 1275 | 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 |
| 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) | 1306 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| First work: Gregorian year as stored | 1889 | 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 |
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.
- 15 annual entries of 16 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
- Vasilaki Efendi
- Official for incoming items (Mevrude Memuru)
- Galata
- Istanbul (Dersaadet)
- French school (Fransız Mektebi)
- Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)
- Greek Orthodox Christian (Rum)
- 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)