Official
Mehmet Ruhi Bey
Muslim (Müslüman). Born in Istanbul (Dersaadet) in 1842/43 (AH 1258). On record 1865 to 1905, 41 annual entries. Death recorded 1905/06.
Archive reference 00049_0182; 357
Life#
Mehmet Ruhi Bey was born in Istanbul in 1842/43 (AH 1258) into the Muslim (Müslüman) community; the father's occupation was "Zabita Muduru". Schooling took seven years, at a middle school (Rüşdiye Mektebi).
Mehmet Ruhi began work in Istanbul in 1863/64, at about 21, with two unpaid years as a mülazım (apprentice) before a first salary of 384 kuruş. The first annual entry, for 1865/66, places Mehmet Ruhi in Istanbul, the birthplace, as a communications official (Muhabere Memuru), where the entries run to 1879/80. Next came Ankara from 1880 to 1887, with a rise to director of the first grade (1. Müdür), then Edirne from 1887 to 1889. From 1889 to 1905 every annual entry places Mehmet Ruhi again in Istanbul, first in the dispatch office (Sevk Kalemi), from 1891/92 as a chief communications official (Başmuhabere Memuru). Few careers in the lists are as long; fewer than 3 per cent of the 5,211 officials have entries spanning 41 years or more.
Pay rose from 384 kuruş a month in 1865/66 to a peak of 1,600 in 1895/96, as Başmuhabere Memuru in Istanbul, when 95 per cent of paid officials earned less. After the last annual entry, for 1904/05, the list of 1905/06 (AH 1323) gives the status word Vefat (death).
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 1842/43 (AH 1258); First work 1863/64 (AH 1280); 1865 to 1880 (AH 1282 to 1297)
384 to 1,100 kuruş a month; entries in 16 years
1889 to 1905 (AH 1307 to 1322)
Sevk Kalemi 1889 to 1891 (AH 1307 to 1308); Başmuhabere Memuru 1891 to 1905 (AH 1309 to 1322)
800 to 1,600 kuruş a month; entries in 16 years
Death recorded in the annual list of 1905/06 (AH 1323): the word Vefat, not a date of 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1865/66 | 384 | 650 | 576 | 19% |
| 1866/67 | 384 | 600 | 480 | 17% |
| 1867/68 | 480 | 600 | 480 | 32% |
| 1868/69 | 500 | 600 | 480 | 40% |
| 1869/70 | 600 | 600 | 400 | 48% |
| 1870/71 | 700 | 600 | 400 | 58% |
| 1871/72 | 665 | 550 | 400 | 60% |
| 1872/73 | 750 | 550 | 400 | 63% |
| 1873/74 | 815 | 500 | 400 | 73% |
| 1874/75 | 850 | 535 | 450 | 73% |
| 1875/76 | 850 | 530 | 400 | 74% |
| 1876/77 | 1,000 | 582.5 | 410 | 77% |
| 1877/78 | 1,000 | 560 | 410 | 79% |
| 1878 | 1,000 | 600 | 500 | 76% |
| 1878/79 | 1,100 | 600 | 420 | 83% |
| 1879/80 | 800 | 500 | 380 | 77% |
| 1880/81 | 1,200 | 500 | 1,200 | 87% |
| 1881/82 | 1,200 | 500 | 1,200 | 86% |
| 1882/83 | 1,200 | 500 | 1,200 | 86% |
| 1883/84 | 1,200 | 500 | 1,200 | 86% |
| 1884/85 | 1,200 | 500 | 1,200 | 86% |
| 1885/86 | 1,200 | 500 | 1,200 | 87% |
| 1886/87 | 1,200 | 500 | 1,200 | 87% |
| 1887/88 | 1,200 | 500 | 1,200 | 87% |
| 1888/89 | 1,200 | 500 | 1,200 | 87% |
| 1889/90 | 800 | 500 | 525 | 78% |
| 1890/91 | 800 | 500 | 525 | 79% |
| 1891/92 | 1,000 | 500 | 600 | 86% |
| 1892/93 | 1,000 | 500 | 600 | 87% |
| 1893/94 | 1,100 | 500 | 600 | 90% |
| 1894/95 | 1,300 | 500 | 600 | 93% |
| 1895/96 | 1,600 | 500 | 600 | 95% |
| 1896/97 | 1,340 | 500 | 540 | 94% |
| 1897/98 | 1,340 | 500 | 540 | 94% |
| 1898/99 | 1,340 | 500 | 540 | 94% |
| 1899/1900 | 1,400 | 500 | 540 | 94% |
| 1900/01 | 1,400 | 500 | 540 | 93% |
| 1901/02 | 1,400 | 500 | 540 | 93% |
| 1902/03 | 1,400 | 500 | 562.5 | 93% |
| 1903/04 | 1,600 | 475 | 600 | 95% |
| 1904/05 | 1,600 | 450 | 600 | 95% |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1863/64AH 1280 | First work | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 384first-salary field |
| 1865 to 1880AH 1282 to 1297 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 384 to 800 |
| 1880 to 1887AH 1298 to 1304 | 1. Müdür | Ankara | 1,200 |
| 1887 to 1889AH 1305 to 1306 | 1. Müdür | Edirne | 1,200 |
| 1889 to 1891AH 1307 to 1308 | Sevk Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 800 |
| 1891 to 1905AH 1309 to 1322 | Başmuhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,000 to 1,600 |
| 1905/06AH 1323 | Death recorded | ||
Record#
Personal
- Born
- 1842/43 (AH 1258)
- Birthplace
- Istanbul (Dersaadet)
- Community
- Muslim (Müslüman)
- Nationality as recorded
- Turkish
- Father's occupation
- Zabita Muduru
- Death recorded
- 1905/06 (AH 1323)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)
- Unpaid years (mülazemet)
- 2 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
- Turkish
- Kitabetwriting
The glosses are cautious historical readings of the recorded words, not modern levels of proficiency.
First work
- Year
- 1863/64 (AH 1280)
- Place
- Istanbul (Dersaadet)
- First salary field (kuruş a month)
- 384
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 1,429 officials with entries in Istanbul in the same years, Mehmet Ruhi Bey had the 232nd highest salary.
- Mehmet Hayri Bey32 shared years; highest salary 5,500 kuruş
- Melkok Efendi32 shared years; highest salary 5,000 kuruş
- Mehmet Salim Bey32 shared years; highest salary 3,000 kuruş
- Ali Kaya Bey32 shared years; highest salary 2,500 kuruş
- Osman Nuri Efendi32 shared years; highest salary 2,500 kuruş
Same job title, same years
Of the 773 officials with the title Muhabere Memuru in the same years, Mehmet Ruhi Bey had the 69th highest salary.
- Mehmet Pertev Bey16 shared years; highest salary 1,500 kuruş
- Nikola Yunani Efendi16 shared years; highest salary 1,350 kuruş
- Şarl Laze Efendi16 shared years; highest salary 1,250 kuruş
- Ahmed Muhtar Efendi16 shared years; highest salary 1,000 kuruş
- Halil Efendi16 shared years; highest salary 800 kuruş
Same school
Of the 3,206 officials with Rüşdiye Mektebi among their schools, 3,200 have a recorded salary; Mehmet Ruhi Bey had the 126th highest salary of them.
- Abdülkadir Efendiborn 1842/43 (AH 1258); highest salary 600 kuruş
- Ahmet Şakir Efendiborn 1842/43 (AH 1258); highest salary 800 kuruş
- Aziz Mahmut Beyborn 1842/43 (AH 1258); highest salary 2,250 kuruş
- Bekir Sami Efendborn 1842/43 (AH 1258); highest salary 800 kuruş
- Cemal Beyborn 1842/43 (AH 1258); highest salary 1,100 kuruş
Same birthplace
Of the 1,999 officials born in Istanbul, 1,997 have a recorded salary; Mehmet Ruhi Bey had the 195th highest salary of them.
- Abdülkadir Efendiborn 1842/43 (AH 1258); highest salary 600 kuruş
- Abdüllatif Efendiborn 1842/43 (AH 1258); highest salary 1,200 kuruş
- Abdurrahman Zekai Beyborn 1842/43 (AH 1258); highest salary 3,600 kuruş
- Ahmet İsmet Efendiborn 1842/43 (AH 1258); highest salary 4,400 kuruş
- Ahmet Kemalettin Efendiborn 1842/43 (AH 1258); highest salary 800 kuruş
First annual entry in the same year
Of the 47 officials whose first annual entry is for 1865/66 (AH 1282), Mehmet Ruhi Bey had the 14th highest salary.
- Ahmet Hamdi Efendifirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 650 kuruş
- Bekir Efendifirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 750 kuruş
- Dikran Efendifirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 1,400 kuruş
- Yakob Emanuelidi Efendi Bin Emanuelfirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 1,900 kuruş
- Hasan Rifatfirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 2,000 kuruş
Full record
Annual entries (41)
| Year | Title | Place | Kuruş a month | Institution | Source | Archive reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1865/66AH 1282 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 384 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 00049_0182; 357 |
| 1866/67AH 1283 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 384 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 00049_0182; 357 |
| 1867/68AH 1284 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 480 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 00049_0182; 357 |
| 1868/69AH 1285 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 00049_0182; 357 |
| 1869/70AH 1286 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 00049_0182; 357 |
| 1870/71AH 1287 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 700 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 00049_0182; 357 |
| 1871/72AH 1288 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 665 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 00049_0182; 357 |
| 1872/73AH 1289 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 750 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 00049_0182; 357 |
| 1873/74AH 1290 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 815 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 00049_0182; 357 |
| 1874/75AH 1291 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 850 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 00049_0182; 357 |
| 1875/76AH 1292 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 850 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 00049_0182; 357 |
| 1876/77AH 1293 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,000 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 00049_0182; 357 |
| 1877/78AH 1294 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,000 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 00049_0182; 357 |
| 1878AH 1295 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,000 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 00049_0182; 357 |
| 1878/79AH 1296 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,100 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 00049_0182; 357 |
| 1879/80AH 1297 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 800 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 00049_0182; 357 |
| 1880/81AH 1298 | 1. Müdür | Ankara | 1,200 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 00049_0182; 357 |
| 1881/82AH 1299 | 1. Müdür | Ankara | 1,200 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 00049_0182; 357 |
| 1882/83AH 1300 | 1. Müdür | Ankara | 1,200 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 00049_0182; 357 |
| 1883/84AH 1301 | 1. Müdür | Ankara | 1,200 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 00049_0182; 357 |
| 1884/85AH 1302 | 1. Müdür | Ankara | 1,200 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 00049_0182; 357 |
| 1885/86AH 1303 | 1. Müdür | Ankara | 1,200 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 00049_0182; 357 |
| 1886/87AH 1304 | 1. Müdür | Ankara | 1,200 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 00049_0182; 357 |
| 1887/88AH 1305 | 1. Müdür | Edirne | 1,200 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 00049_0182; 357 |
| 1888/89AH 1306 | 1. Müdür | Edirne | 1,200 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 00049_0182; 357 |
| 1889/90AH 1307 | Sevk Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 800 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 00049_0182; 357 |
| 1890/91AH 1308 | Sevk Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 800 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 00049_0182; 357 |
| 1891/92AH 1309 | Başmuhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,000 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 00049_0182; 357 |
| 1892/93AH 1310 | Başmuhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,000 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 00049_0182; 357 |
| 1893/94AH 1311 | Başmuhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,100 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 00049_0182; 357 |
| 1894/95AH 1312 | Başmuhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,300 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 00049_0182; 357 |
| 1895/96AH 1313 | Başmuhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 00049_0182; 357 |
| 1896/97AH 1314 | Başmuhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,340 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 00049_0182; 357 |
| 1897/98AH 1315 | Başmuhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,340 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 00049_0182; 357 |
| 1898/99AH 1316 | Başmuhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,340 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 00049_0182; 357 |
| 1899/1900AH 1317 | Başmuhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,400 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 00049_0182; 357 |
| 1900/01AH 1318 | Başmuhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,400 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 00049_0182; 357 |
| 1901/02AH 1319 | Başmuhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,400 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 00049_0182; 357 |
| 1902/03AH 1320 | Başmuhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,400 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 00049_0182; 357 |
| 1903/04AH 1321 | Başmuhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 00049_0182; 357 |
| 1904/05AH 1322 | Başmuhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 00049_0182; 357 |
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 Ruhi Bey | Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Birth year (AH) | 1258 | 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 | zabita muduru | 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) | 2 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| First work | ||
| First work: year (AH) | 1280 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| First work: Gregorian year as stored | 1863 | 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) | 384 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Status | ||
| Death recorded under the year (AH) | 1323 | 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.
- 36 annual entries of 41 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 Ruhi 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)