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Ottoman BureaucracyPeople, places and careers in Ottoman public service

Official

Ahmet Refik Efendi

Muslim (Müslüman). Born in Balchik (Balçık) in 1886/87 (AH 1304). On record 1904 to 1908, 4 annual entries.

Archive reference 146-142-279

Compare Ahmet Refik Efendi with other officials

Life

Ahmet Refik Efendi was born in Balchik (Balçık) in 1886/87 (AH 1304) into the Muslim (Müslüman) community; the father's occupation was "sehbender Vekili". Schooling took seven years, at a middle school (Rüşdiye Mektebi); Ahmet Refik also held a qualification (a diploma, certificate, training or decoration).

Work began in Istanbul in 1902/03, at about 16, with two unpaid years as a mülazım (apprentice) before a first salary of 35 kuruş. From the first annual entry, for 1904/05, to 1907/08, every annual entry places Ahmet Refik in the same office, Idare Kalemi, in Istanbul.

The salary never rose above the first in the lists, 35 kuruş a month in 1904/05, in the Idare Kalemi in Istanbul, when fewer than 1 per cent of paid officials earned less. Over four years the salaries add up to 1,680 kuruş, 8 per cent of what an official on the median salary earned. The last annual entry is for 1907/08.

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.

All 2 stops
birthplacefirst workplace of annual entriesmove, with the year of the first entry there
1902/0312BalchikIstanbul

  1. Balchik (Balçık)

    Born 1886/87 (AH 1304)

  2. Istanbul (Dersaadet)

    First work 1902/03 (AH 1320); 1904 to 1908 (AH 1322 to 1325)

    Idare Kalemi

    35 kuruş a month; entries in 4 years

Career and salary

All years
Monthly salary by year, kuruşsalary of the yearyears with one job titleno annual entry
0102030401904/05AH 13221905/06AH 13231906/07AH 13241907/08AH 132535 kuruşIdare Kalemi
Salary against the medians of the same year
20501002005001904/05AH 13221905/06AH 13231906/07AH 13241907/08AH 1325This officialMedian, all officialsMedian, same province

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
Salary of Ahmet Refik Efendi against the medians of the same year, kuruş a month
YearSalaryMedian, all officialsMedian, same titleMedian, same provincePaid less
1904/05354504500%
1905/06354754250%
1906/07354504700%
1907/08353003000%

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.

Career of Ahmet Refik Efendi, one row per stage
YearsTitlePlaceSalary (kuruş a month)
1902/03AH 1320First workIstanbul (Dersaadet)35first-salary field
1904 to 1908AH 1322 to 1325Idare Kalemi
4 entries
YearSalary
1904/0535
1905/0635
1906/0735
1907/0835
Istanbul (Dersaadet)35

Record

Personal

Born
1886/87 (AH 1304)
Community
Muslim (Müslüman)
Nationality as recorded
Turkish
Father's occupation
sehbender Vekili

Education

Rüşdiye
Rüşdiye Mektebi (7 years)rüşdiye school (middle school)
Unpaid years (mülazemet)
2 years
Preparation route (classification of the paper)
Middle
Qualification (diploma, certificate, training or nişan)
Yes

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
1902/03 (AH 1320)
First salary field (kuruş a month)
35

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 3 officials who held Idare Kalemi in Istanbul in the same years, Ahmet Refik Efendi had the 2nd highest salary.

Same place, same years

Of the 674 officials with entries in Istanbul in the same years, Ahmet Refik Efendi had the 670th highest salary.

All 1,750 officials with entries in Istanbul

Same job title, same years

Of the 3 officials with the title Idare Kalemi in the same years, Ahmet Refik Efendi had the 2nd highest salary.

All 6 officials with the title Idare Kalemi

Same school

Of the 3,206 officials with Rüşdiye Mektebi among their schools, 3,200 have a recorded salary; Ahmet Refik Efendi had the 3,194th highest salary of them.

All 3,206 officials with Rüşdiye Mektebi

Same birthplace

Of the 5 officials born in Balchik (Balçık), Ahmet Refik Efendi had the lowest salary.

The page of Balchik (Balçık), with the 5 officials born there

First annual entry in the same year

Of the 120 officials whose first annual entry is for 1904/05 (AH 1322), Ahmet Refik Efendi had the 118th highest salary.

All 120 officials whose first annual entry is for 1904/05 (AH 1322)

Full record

Annual entries (4)

Annual entries of Ahmet Refik Efendi
YearTitlePlaceKuruş a monthInstitutionSourceArchive reference
1904/05AH 1322Idare KalemiIstanbul (Dersaadet)35Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)Recovered annual personnel extract146-142-279
1905/06AH 1323Idare KalemiIstanbul (Dersaadet)35Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)Recovered annual personnel extract146-142-279
1906/07AH 1324Idare KalemiIstanbul (Dersaadet)35Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)Recovered annual personnel extract146-142-279
1907/08AH 1325Idare KalemiIstanbul (Dersaadet)35Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)Recovered annual personnel extract146-142-279
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)

Recorded values of Ahmet Refik Efendi with their sources
FieldRecorded valueSource
Identity
NameAhmet Refik EfendiPersonnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract
Birth year (AH)1304Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract
BirthplacebalcikRecovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract
Province of birthtunaRecovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract
Father's occupationsehbender vekiliRecovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract
ReligionMuslumanRecovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract
Nationality or communityTurkishRecovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract
Schooling
SchoolRusdiye MektebiRecovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract
Years of schooling7Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract
Years of apprenticeship (mülazemet)2Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract
First work
First work: year (AH)1320Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract
First work: Gregorian year as stored1902Recovered annual personnel extract
First work: placeistanbulRecovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract
First salary field (kuruş a month)35Recovered 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.
  • 2 annual entries of 4 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