Official
Cemal Efendi
Muslim (Müslüman). Born in Istanbul (Dersaadet) in 1843/44 (AH 1259). On record 1861 to 1907, 47 annual entries.
Archive reference 8_10; 17
Life#
Cemal Efendi was born in Istanbul in 1843/44 (AH 1259) into the Muslim (Müslüman) community; the father was a clerk (ketebe). Schooling took seven years, at a middle school (Rüşdiye Mektebi).
Cemal began work in the Zaptiye Kalemi in Istanbul in 1856/57, at about 14, with one unpaid year as a mülazım (apprentice) before a first salary of 45 kuruş. The first annual entry, for 1861/62, places Cemal in Istanbul, the birthplace, in the accounts office (Muhasebe Kalemi). Cemal then moved to Üsküdar from 1862 to 1872, with a rise to official (Memur), then back to Istanbul from 1872 to 1884. From 1884 to 1907 every annual entry places Cemal in Kadıköy. Few careers in the lists are as long; 32 of the 5,211 officials have entries spanning 47 years or more.
The salary went from 45 kuruş a month in 1861/62 to 840 in 1905/06, the peak, as a communications official (Muhabere Memuru) in Kadıköy, when 82 per cent of paid officials earned less. In all, 47 years of salary come to 343,428 kuruş, 1.2 times what an official on the median salary earned in those years. The peak was 18.7 times the first salary, a rise matched by fewer than 5 per cent of the 2,859 officials paid for ten years or more. 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 1843/44 (AH 1259); First work 1856/57 (AH 1273); 1861/62 (AH 1278)
First work as Zaptiye Kalemi
45 kuruş a month; entries in 1 year
1872 to 1884 (AH 1289 to 1301)
550 to 800 kuruş a month; entries in 13 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.
The numbers of the chart
| Year | Salary | Median, all officials | Median, same title | Paid less |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1861/62 | 45 | 600 | 475 | 1% |
| 1862/63 | 50 | 500 | 460 | 1% |
| 1863/64 | 50 | 500 | 420 | 0% |
| 1864/65 | 184 | 625 | 490 | 4% |
| 1865/66 | 184 | 650 | 330 | 4% |
| 1866/67 | 120 | 600 | 500 | 1% |
| 1867/68 | 360 | 600 | 400 | 14% |
| 1868/69 | 526 | 600 | 325 | 45% |
| 1869/70 | 600 | 600 | 408 | 48% |
| 1870/71 | 600 | 600 | 300 | 49% |
| 1871/72 | 600 | 550 | 380 | 56% |
| 1872/73 | 550 | 550 | 400 | 49% |
| 1873/74 | 660 | 500 | 400 | 60% |
| 1874/75 | 700 | 535 | 450 | 60% |
| 1875/76 | 700 | 530 | 400 | 61% |
| 1876/77 | 800 | 582.5 | 410 | 67% |
| 1877/78 | 800 | 560 | 410 | 68% |
| 1878 | 800 | 600 | 500 | 65% |
| 1878/79 | 800 | 600 | 420 | 66% |
| 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 | 650 | 500 | 400 | 71% |
| 1892/93 | 650 | 500 | 400 | 71% |
| 1893/94 | 700 | 500 | 400 | 74% |
| 1894/95 | 700 | 500 | 400 | 74% |
| 1895/96 | 800 | 500 | 400 | 80% |
| 1896/97 | 720 | 500 | 400 | 81% |
| 1897/98 | 720 | 500 | 400 | 81% |
| 1898/99 | 760 | 500 | 400 | 84% |
| 1899/1900 | 760 | 500 | 400 | 82% |
| 1900/01 | 800 | 500 | 400 | 81% |
| 1901/02 | 800 | 500 | 400 | 81% |
| 1902/03 | 800 | 500 | 380 | 81% |
| 1903/04 | 800 | 475 | 350 | 80% |
| 1904/05 | 800 | 450 | 350 | 80% |
| 1905/06 | 840 | 475 | 330 | 82% |
| 1906/07 | 840 | 450 | 300 | 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1856/57AH 1273 | Zaptiye Kalemifirst work | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 45first-salary field |
| 1861/62AH 1278 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 45 |
| 1862 to 1872AH 1279 to 1288 | Memur | Üsküdar | 50 to 600 |
| 1872 to 1884AH 1289 to 1301 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 550 to 600 |
| 1884 to 1907AH 1302 to 1324 | Muhabere Memuru | Kadıköy | 600 to 840 |
Record#
Personal
- Born
- 1843/44 (AH 1259)
- Birthplace
- Istanbul (Dersaadet)
- Community
- Muslim (Müslüman)
- Nationality as recorded
- Turkish
- Father's occupation
- Ketebe
Education
- Rüşdiye
- Rüşdiye Mektebi (7 years)rüşdiye school (middle school)
- Unpaid years (mülazemet)
- 1 year
- 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
- 1856/57 (AH 1273)
- Place
- Istanbul (Dersaadet)
- First job as worded
- Zaptiye Kalemi
- Age at first work (workbook field)
- 14
- First salary field (kuruş a month)
- 45
- First-job salary of the original workbook (kuruş a month)
- 45
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 21 officials with entries in Kadıköy in the same years, Cemal Efendi had the 7th highest salary.
- Mehmet Efendi20 shared years; highest salary 800 kuruş
- Andon Yaldızyan Efendi16 shared years; highest salary 800 kuruş
- Mehmet Salih Efendi15 shared years; highest salary 400 kuruş
- Mehmet Cemal Efendi10 shared years; highest salary 500 kuruş
- Zenob Balyan Efendi8 shared years; highest salary 400 kuruş
Same job title, same years
Of the 2,757 officials with the title Muhabere Memuru in the same years, Cemal Efendi had the 455th highest salary.
- Nikola Yunani Efendi36 shared years; highest salary 1,350 kuruş
- İsmail Kadri Efendi36 shared years; highest salary 500 kuruş
- Ahmet Safvet Efendi35 shared years; highest salary 700 kuruş
- Hasan Nazmi Efendi34 shared years; highest salary 670 kuruş
- Mehmet Emin Efendi34 shared years; highest salary 610 kuruş
Same school
Of the 3,206 officials with Rüşdiye Mektebi among their schools, 3,200 have a recorded salary; Cemal Efendi had the 474th highest salary of them.
- Abdülaziz Efendiborn 1843/44 (AH 1259); highest salary 600 kuruş
- Ahmet Bilal Efendiborn 1843/44 (AH 1259); highest salary 2,000 kuruş
- Bahattin Efendiborn 1843/44 (AH 1259); highest salary 1,300 kuruş
- Hasan Hüsnü Efendiborn 1843/44 (AH 1259); highest salary 2,000 kuruş
- Mahmut Bedri Efendiborn 1843/44 (AH 1259); highest salary 6,040 kuruş
Same birthplace
Of the 1,999 officials born in Istanbul, 1,997 have a recorded salary; Cemal Efendi had the 501st highest salary of them.
- Abdülaziz Efendiborn 1843/44 (AH 1259); highest salary 600 kuruş
- Ahmet Nuri Beyborn 1843/44 (AH 1259); highest salary 2,500 kuruş
- Anastasyadi Hristo Efendiborn 1843/44 (AH 1259); highest salary 710 kuruş
- Bahattin Efendiborn 1843/44 (AH 1259); highest salary 1,300 kuruş
- Manuk Filcancıyan Efendiborn 1843/44 (AH 1259); highest salary 750 kuruş
First annual entry in the same year
Of the 18 officials whose first annual entry is for 1861/62 (AH 1278), Cemal Efendi had the lowest salary.
- Mikail Efendifirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 2,100 kuruş
- Antuvan Jean Daliço Efendifirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 1,750 kuruş
- Haci Sefik Efendifirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 2,375 kuruş
- Mahmut Cemal Efendifirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 900 kuruş
- Rıza Beyfirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 13,000 kuruş
Full record
Annual entries (47)
| Year | Title | Place | Kuruş a month | Institution | Source | Archive reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1861/62AH 1278 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 45 | Other | Cross-ministry personnel workbook | 8_10; 17 |
| 1862/63AH 1279 | Memur | Üsküdar | 50 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_10; 17 |
| 1863/64AH 1280 | Memur | Üsküdar | 50 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_10; 17 |
| 1864/65AH 1281 | Memur | Üsküdar | 184 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_10; 17 |
| 1865/66AH 1282 | Memur | Üsküdar | 184 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_10; 17 |
| 1866/67AH 1283 | Memur | Üsküdar | 120 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_10; 17 |
| 1867/68AH 1284 | Memur | Üsküdar | 360 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_10; 17 |
| 1868/69AH 1285 | Memur | Üsküdar | 526 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_10; 17 |
| 1869/70AH 1286 | Memur | Üsküdar | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_10; 17 |
| 1870/71AH 1287 | Memur | Üsküdar | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_10; 17 |
| 1871/72AH 1288 | Memur | Üsküdar | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_10; 17 |
| 1872/73AH 1289 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 550 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_10; 17 |
| 1873/74AH 1290 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 660 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_10; 17 |
| 1874/75AH 1291 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 700 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_10; 17 |
| 1875/76AH 1292 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 700 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_10; 17 |
| 1876/77AH 1293 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 800 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_10; 17 |
| 1877/78AH 1294 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 800 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_10; 17 |
| 1878AH 1295 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 800 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_10; 17 |
| 1878/79AH 1296 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 800 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_10; 17 |
| 1879/80AH 1297 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_10; 17 |
| 1880/81AH 1298 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_10; 17 |
| 1881/82AH 1299 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_10; 17 |
| 1882/83AH 1300 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_10; 17 |
| 1883/84AH 1301 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_10; 17 |
| 1884/85AH 1302 | Muhabere Memuru | Kadıköy | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_10; 17 |
| 1885/86AH 1303 | Muhabere Memuru | Kadıköy | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_10; 17 |
| 1886/87AH 1304 | Muhabere Memuru | Kadıköy | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_10; 17 |
| 1887/88AH 1305 | Muhabere Memuru | Kadıköy | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_10; 17 |
| 1888/89AH 1306 | Muhabere Memuru | Kadıköy | 650 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_10; 17 |
| 1889/90AH 1307 | Muhabere Memuru | Kadıköy | 650 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_10; 17 |
| 1890/91AH 1308 | Muhabere Memuru | Kadıköy | 650 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_10; 17 |
| 1891/92AH 1309 | Muhabere Memuru | Kadıköy | 650 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_10; 17 |
| 1892/93AH 1310 | Muhabere Memuru | Kadıköy | 650 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_10; 17 |
| 1893/94AH 1311 | Muhabere Memuru | Kadıköy | 700 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_10; 17 |
| 1894/95AH 1312 | Muhabere Memuru | Kadıköy | 700 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_10; 17 |
| 1895/96AH 1313 | Muhabere Memuru | Kadıköy | 800 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_10; 17 |
| 1896/97AH 1314 | Muhabere Memuru | Kadıköy | 720 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_10; 17 |
| 1897/98AH 1315 | Muhabere Memuru | Kadıköy | 720 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_10; 17 |
| 1898/99AH 1316 | Muhabere Memuru | Kadıköy | 760 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_10; 17 |
| 1899/1900AH 1317 | Muhabere Memuru | Kadıköy | 760 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_10; 17 |
| 1900/01AH 1318 | Muhabere Memuru | Kadıköy | 800 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_10; 17 |
| 1901/02AH 1319 | Muhabere Memuru | Kadıköy | 800 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_10; 17 |
| 1902/03AH 1320 | Muhabere Memuru | Kadıköy | 800 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_10; 17 |
| 1903/04AH 1321 | Muhabere Memuru | Kadıköy | 800 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_10; 17 |
| 1904/05AH 1322 | Muhabere Memuru | Kadıköy | 800 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_10; 17 |
| 1905/06AH 1323 | Muhabere Memuru | Kadıköy | 840 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_10; 17 |
| 1906/07AH 1324 | Muhabere Memuru | Kadıköy | 840 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_10; 17 |
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 (24)
| Field | Recorded value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | ||
| Name | Cemal Efendi | Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract; Linked personnel workbook |
| Birth year (AH) | 1259 | 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 | Ketebe | 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 | Rusdiye Mektebi | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract; Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| Years of schooling | 7 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract; Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| Years of apprenticeship (mülazemet) | 1 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract; Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| First work | ||
| First work: year (AH) | 1273 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract; Linked personnel workbook |
| First work: Gregorian year as stored | 1857 | Recovered annual personnel extract |
| 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 | Zaptiye Kalemi | Linked personnel workbook; Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| Age at first work (workbook field) | 14 | Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| First salary field (kuruş a month) | 45 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| First-job salary of the original workbook (kuruş a month) | 45 | Linked personnel workbook; Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
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.
- 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.
- 37 annual entries of 47 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
- Cemal Efendi
- Communications official (Muhabere Memuru)
- Kadıköy
- Istanbul (Dersaadet)
- Rüşdiye school (Rüşdiye 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)