Official
Ahmet Hamdi Efendi
Muslim (Müslüman). Born in Istanbul (Dersaadet) in 1839/40 (AH 1255). On record 1860 to 1900, 40 annual entries. Death recorded 1900/01.
Archive reference 0062_0185; 365
Life#
Ahmet Hamdi Efendi was born in Istanbul in 1839/40 (AH 1255), into the Muslim (Müslüman) community. At about 21, in 1860/61, Ahmet Hamdi began work in İzmit, paid from the start, on 500 kuruş a month. The first annual entry, for 1860/61, places Ahmet Hamdi in İzmit as a communications official (Muhabere Memuru), where the entries run to 1862/63. Next came Mudurnu, Geyve, Eskişehir and Pljevlja (Taşlıca), four places in six years, with a rise to director of the second grade (2. Müdür) in 1868/69, then Bihać (Bihke) from 1869 to 1878. The annual lists then follow Ahmet Hamdi to Niğde in 1878/79, then Beşiktaş from 1879 to 1892. The last posts were in Istanbul, the birthplace, from 1892 to 1900, first in the correspondence office (Tahrirat Kalemi), from 1894/95 in the documents office (Evrak Kalemi). Seven provinces on two continents in all, a number reached by fewer than 4 per cent of the 5,200 officials with a place of service. Entries spanning 41 years are rare, reached by fewer than 3 per cent of the 5,211 officials.
The salary went from 500 kuruş a month in 1860/61 to 1,000 in 1869/70, the peak, as 2. Müdür in Bihać, when 71 per cent of paid officials earned less. The last annual entry is for 1899/1900; the list of 1900/01 (AH 1318) 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 1839/40 (AH 1255)
First work 1860/61 (AH 1277); 1860 to 1863 (AH 1277 to 1279)
500 kuruş a month; entries in 3 years
1892 to 1900 (AH 1310 to 1317)
Tahrirat Kalemi 1892 to 1894 (AH 1310 to 1311); Evrak Kalemi 1894 to 1900 (AH 1312 to 1317)
630 to 700 kuruş a month; entries in 8 years
Death recorded in the annual list of 1900/01 (AH 1318): 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1860/61 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 36% |
| 1861/62 | 500 | 600 | 500 | 34% |
| 1862/63 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 34% |
| 1863/64 | 750 | 500 | 1,000 | 58% |
| 1864/65 | 576 | 625 | 40% | |
| 1865/66 | 576 | 650 | 38% | |
| 1866/67 | 480 | 600 | 480 | 29% |
| 1867/68 | 400 | 600 | 480 | 17% |
| 1868/69 | 800 | 600 | 1,000 | 61% |
| 1869/70 | 1,000 | 600 | 1,000 | 71% |
| 1870/71 | 1,000 | 600 | 1,000 | 72% |
| 1871/72 | 900 | 550 | 855 | 75% |
| 1872/73 | 900 | 550 | 850 | 75% |
| 1873/74 | 900 | 500 | 830 | 76% |
| 1874/75 | 900 | 535 | 800 | 75% |
| 1875/76 | 900 | 530 | 850 | 75% |
| 1876/77 | 1,000 | 582.5 | 800 | 77% |
| 1877/78 | 1,000 | 560 | 800 | 79% |
| 1878/79 | 1,000 | 600 | 800 | 77% |
| 1879/80 | 400 | 500 | 500 | 35% |
| 1880/81 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 47% |
| 1881/82 | 500 | 500 | 600 | 46% |
| 1882/83 | 500 | 500 | 570 | 43% |
| 1883/84 | 500 | 500 | 585 | 43% |
| 1884/85 | 500 | 500 | 600 | 42% |
| 1885/86 | 500 | 500 | 600 | 42% |
| 1886/87 | 500 | 500 | 585 | 42% |
| 1887/88 | 500 | 500 | 600 | 41% |
| 1888/89 | 700 | 500 | 670 | 72% |
| 1889/90 | 700 | 500 | 600 | 73% |
| 1890/91 | 700 | 500 | 600 | 73% |
| 1891/92 | 700 | 500 | 700 | 73% |
| 1892/93 | 700 | 500 | 600 | 73% |
| 1893/94 | 700 | 500 | 545 | 74% |
| 1894/95 | 700 | 500 | 200 | 74% |
| 1895/96 | 700 | 500 | 210 | 74% |
| 1896/97 | 630 | 500 | 217.5 | 75% |
| 1897/98 | 630 | 500 | 222.5 | 75% |
| 1898/99 | 630 | 500 | 250 | 74% |
| 1899/1900 | 700 | 500 | 300 | 77% |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1860/61AH 1277 | First work | İzmit | 500first-salary field |
| 1860 to 1863AH 1277 to 1279 | Muhabere Memuru | İzmit | 500 |
| 1863/64AH 1280 | 2. Müdür | Mudurnu | 750 |
| 1864 to 1866AH 1281 to 1282 | 3. Müdür | Geyve | 576 |
| 1866 to 1868AH 1283 to 1284 | Muhabere Memuru | Eskişehir | 480 to 400 |
| 1868/69AH 1285 | 2. Müdür | Pljevlja (Taşlıca) | 800 |
| 1869 to 1878AH 1286 to 1294 | 2. Müdür | Bihać (Bihke) | 1,000 |
| No annual entry: 1878 (AH 1295) | |||
| 1878/79AH 1296 | 2. Müdür | Niğde | 1,000 |
| 1879 to 1892AH 1297 to 1309 | Başmemur | Beşiktaş | 400 to 700 |
| 1892 to 1894AH 1310 to 1311 | Tahrirat Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 700 |
| 1894 to 1900AH 1312 to 1317 | Evrak Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 700 |
| 1900/01AH 1318 | Death recorded | ||
Record#
Personal
- Born
- 1839/40 (AH 1255)
- Birthplace
- Istanbul (Dersaadet)
- Community
- Muslim (Müslüman)
- Nationality as recorded
- Turkish
- Death recorded
- 1900/01 (AH 1318)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
- Preparation route (classification of the paper)
- Low
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
- 1860/61 (AH 1277)
- Place
- İzmit
- First salary field (kuruş a month)
- 500
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 856 officials with entries in Istanbul in the same years, Ahmet Hamdi Efendi had the 220th highest salary.
- Salahattin Bey8 shared years; highest salary 7,800 kuruş
- Suleyman Resat Bey8 shared years; highest salary 7,000 kuruş
- Mehmet Hayri Bey8 shared years; highest salary 5,500 kuruş
- Fahri Efendi8 shared years; highest salary 5,000 kuruş
- Mehmet Asaf Bey8 shared years; highest salary 5,000 kuruş
Same job title, same years
Of the 46 officials with the title Başmemur in the same years, Ahmet Hamdi Efendi had the 15th highest salary.
- Esat Efendi12 shared years; highest salary 1,000 kuruş
- Kasım Tevfik Efendi12 shared years; highest salary 800 kuruş
- Ali Galip Efendi12 shared years; highest salary 600 kuruş
- Mahmud Nedim Efendi11 shared years; highest salary 600 kuruş
- Hafız Salih Efendi11 shared years; highest salary 500 kuruş
Same school
Of the 746 officials with Sıbyan Mektebi among their schools, 745 have a recorded salary; Ahmet Hamdi Efendi had the 194th highest salary of them.
- Abdulhamit Efendiborn 1839/40 (AH 1255); highest salary 2,000 kuruş
- Abdullah Şükrü Efendiborn 1839/40 (AH 1255); highest salary 720 kuruş
- Ahmet Cavit Beyborn 1839/40 (AH 1255); highest salary 3,000 kuruş
- Ahmet Efendiborn 1839/40 (AH 1255); highest salary 500 kuruş
- Ahmet Rifat Efendiborn 1839/40 (AH 1255); highest salary 1,500 kuruş
Same birthplace
Of the 1,999 officials born in Istanbul, 1,997 have a recorded salary; Ahmet Hamdi Efendi had the 354th highest salary of them.
- Apostolaki Cizli Efendiborn 1839/40 (AH 1255); highest salary 1,440 kuruş
- Hacı Mehmet Efendiborn 1839/40 (AH 1255); highest salary 550 kuruş
- Haci Mehmet Sezayi Beyborn 1839/40 (AH 1255); highest salary 2,000 kuruş
- Hacı Osman Nuri Efendiborn 1839/40 (AH 1255); highest salary 1,250 kuruş
- Hasan Rifatborn 1839/40 (AH 1255); highest salary 2,000 kuruş
First annual entry in the same year
Of the 38 officials whose first annual entry is for 1860/61 (AH 1277), Ahmet Hamdi Efendi had the 30th highest salary.
- Apostolaki Cizli Efendifirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 1,440 kuruş
- Haci Nazmi Efendifirst entry in Izmir (İzmir); highest salary 1,000 kuruş
- Hacı Osman Nuri Efendifirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 1,250 kuruş
- Hüseyin Hüsnü Efendifirst entry in Sivas; highest salary 1,690 kuruş
- Mehmet Hakkı Efendifirst entry in Sliven (İslimiye); highest salary 1,200 kuruş
Full record
Annual entries (40)
| Year | Title | Place | Kuruş a month | Institution | Source | Archive reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1860/61AH 1277 | Muhabere Memuru | İzmit | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0185; 365 |
| 1861/62AH 1278 | Muhabere Memuru | İzmit | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0185; 365 |
| 1862/63AH 1279 | Muhabere Memuru | İzmit | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0185; 365 |
| 1863/64AH 1280 | 2. Müdür | Mudurnu | 750 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0185; 365 |
| 1864/65AH 1281 | 3. Müdür | Geyve | 576 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0185; 365 |
| 1865/66AH 1282 | 3. Müdür | Geyve | 576 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0185; 365 |
| 1866/67AH 1283 | Muhabere Memuru | Eskişehir | 480 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0185; 365 |
| 1867/68AH 1284 | Muhabere Memuru | Eskişehir | 400 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0185; 365 |
| 1868/69AH 1285 | 2. Müdür | Pljevlja (Taşlıca) | 800 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0185; 365 |
| 1869/70AH 1286 | 2. Müdür | Bihać (Bihke) | 1,000 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0185; 365 |
| 1870/71AH 1287 | 2. Müdür | Bihać (Bihke) | 1,000 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0185; 365 |
| 1871/72AH 1288 | 2. Müdür | Bihać (Bihke) | 900 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0185; 365 |
| 1872/73AH 1289 | 2. Müdür | Bihać (Bihke) | 900 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0185; 365 |
| 1873/74AH 1290 | 2. Müdür | Bihać (Bihke) | 900 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0185; 365 |
| 1874/75AH 1291 | 2. Müdür | Bihać (Bihke) | 900 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0185; 365 |
| 1875/76AH 1292 | 2. Müdür | Bihać (Bihke) | 900 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0185; 365 |
| 1876/77AH 1293 | 2. Müdür | Bihać (Bihke) | 1,000 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0185; 365 |
| 1877/78AH 1294 | 2. Müdür | Bihać (Bihke) | 1,000 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0185; 365 |
| 1878/79AH 1296 | 2. Müdür | Niğde | 1,000 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0185; 365 |
| 1879/80AH 1297 | Başmemur | Beşiktaş | 400 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0185; 365 |
| 1880/81AH 1298 | Başmemur | Beşiktaş | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0185; 365 |
| 1881/82AH 1299 | Başmemur | Beşiktaş | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0185; 365 |
| 1882/83AH 1300 | Başmemur | Beşiktaş | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0185; 365 |
| 1883/84AH 1301 | Başmemur | Beşiktaş | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0185; 365 |
| 1884/85AH 1302 | Başmemur | Beşiktaş | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0185; 365 |
| 1885/86AH 1303 | Başmemur | Beşiktaş | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0185; 365 |
| 1886/87AH 1304 | Başmemur | Beşiktaş | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0185; 365 |
| 1887/88AH 1305 | Başmemur | Beşiktaş | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0185; 365 |
| 1888/89AH 1306 | Başmemur | Beşiktaş | 700 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0185; 365 |
| 1889/90AH 1307 | Başmemur | Beşiktaş | 700 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0185; 365 |
| 1890/91AH 1308 | Başmemur | Beşiktaş | 700 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0185; 365 |
| 1891/92AH 1309 | Başmemur | Beşiktaş | 700 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0185; 365 |
| 1892/93AH 1310 | Tahrirat Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 700 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0185; 365 |
| 1893/94AH 1311 | Tahrirat Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 700 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0185; 365 |
| 1894/95AH 1312 | Evrak Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 700 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0185; 365 |
| 1895/96AH 1313 | Evrak Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 700 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0185; 365 |
| 1896/97AH 1314 | Evrak Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 630 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0185; 365 |
| 1897/98AH 1315 | Evrak Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 630 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0185; 365 |
| 1898/99AH 1316 | Evrak Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 630 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0185; 365 |
| 1899/1900AH 1317 | Evrak Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 700 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0185; 365 |
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 (14)
| Field | Recorded value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | ||
| Name | Ahmet Hamdi Efendi | Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Birth year (AH) | 1255 | 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 | 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 | Sibyan Mektebi | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Years of schooling | 4 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Years of apprenticeship (mülazemet) | 0 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| First work | ||
| First work: year (AH) | 1277 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| First work: Gregorian year as stored | 1860 | Recovered annual personnel extract |
| First work: place | izmit | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| First salary field (kuruş a month) | 500 | 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.
- 30 annual entries of 40 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
- Ahmet Hamdi Efendi
- Chief official (Başmemur)
- Beşiktaş
- Istanbul (Dersaadet)
- School for young children (Sıbyan 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)