Official
Mehmet Ali Bey
Muslim (Müslüman). Born in Istanbul (Dersaadet) in 1849/50 (AH 1266). On record 1871 to 1892, 22 annual entries. Death recorded 1892/93.
Archive reference 8_75; 145
Life#
Born in Istanbul in 1849/50 (AH 1266) into the Muslim (Müslüman) community, Mehmet Ali Bey was the child of a soldier (asker). Mehmet Ali had seven years of schooling, at a middle school (Rüşdiye Mektebi).
At about 18, in 1868/69, Mehmet Ali began work in the Defteri Hakani Kalemi in Istanbul, paid from the start, on 50 kuruş a month. The annual lists begin in 1871/72, with Mehmet Ali in the Land Registry office (Defter-i Hakani Kalemi) in Istanbul, the birthplace, with a rise to Sehir Posta Memuru in 1872/73. Next came Beşiktaş from 1873 to 1878, with a rise to postal official (Posta Memuru), then Üsküdar from 1878 to 1887. Mehmet Ali then moved to Sirkeci in 1887/88. The last posts were in Istanbul again from 1888 to 1892.
Pay rose from 50 kuruş a month in 1871/72 to a peak of 750 in 1891/92, in the statistics office (İstatistik Kalemi) in Istanbul, when three in four paid officials earned less. After the last annual entry, for 1891/92, the list of 1892/93 (AH 1310) 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 1849/50 (AH 1266); First work 1868/69 (AH 1285); 1871 to 1873 (AH 1288 to 1289)
First work as Defteri Hakani Kalemi
Defter-i Hakani Kalemi 1871/72 (AH 1288); Sehir Posta Memuru 1872/73 (AH 1289)
50 to 300 kuruş a month; entries in 2 years
1888 to 1892 (AH 1306 to 1309)
600 to 750 kuruş a month; entries in 4 years
Death recorded in the annual list of 1892/93 (AH 1310): 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1871/72 | 50 | 550 | 1,000 | 0% |
| 1872/73 | 300 | 550 | 11% | |
| 1873/74 | 495 | 500 | 425 | 44% |
| 1874/75 | 500 | 535 | 400 | 41% |
| 1875/76 | 500 | 530 | 450 | 41% |
| 1876/77 | 500 | 582.5 | 400 | 36% |
| 1877/78 | 500 | 560 | 350 | 36% |
| 1878 | 500 | 600 | 300 | 33% |
| 1878/79 | 500 | 600 | 300 | 34% |
| 1879/80 | 500 | 500 | 285 | 47% |
| 1880/81 | 500 | 500 | 380 | 47% |
| 1881/82 | 500 | 500 | 300 | 46% |
| 1882/83 | 500 | 500 | 356 | 43% |
| 1883/84 | 500 | 500 | 350 | 43% |
| 1884/85 | 500 | 500 | 325 | 42% |
| 1885/86 | 500 | 500 | 325 | 42% |
| 1886/87 | 500 | 500 | 325 | 42% |
| 1887/88 | 600 | 500 | 400 | 58% |
| 1888/89 | 600 | 500 | 300 | 58% |
| 1889/90 | 650 | 500 | 400 | 71% |
| 1890/91 | 650 | 500 | 400 | 71% |
| 1891/92 | 750 | 500 | 400 | 75% |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1868/69AH 1285 | Defteri Hakani Kalemifirst work | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 50first-salary field |
| 1871/72AH 1288 | Defter-i Hakani Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 50 |
| 1872/73AH 1289 | Sehir Posta Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 300 |
| 1873 to 1878AH 1290 to 1294 | Posta Memuru | Beşiktaş | 495 to 500 |
| 1878 to 1887AH 1295 to 1304 | Posta Memuru | Üsküdar | 500 |
| 1887/88AH 1305 | Posta Memuru | Sirkeci | 600 |
| 1888 to 1892AH 1306 to 1309 | İstatistik Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 600 to 750 |
| 1892/93AH 1310 | Death recorded | ||
Record#
Personal
- Born
- 1849/50 (AH 1266)
- Birthplace
- Istanbul (Dersaadet)
- Community
- Muslim (Müslüman)
- Nationality as recorded
- Turkish
- Father's occupation
- asker
- Death recorded
- 1892/93 (AH 1310)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); place of the school as worded: sehzade
- Unpaid years (mülazemet)
- 0 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
- 1868/69 (AH 1285)
- Place
- Istanbul (Dersaadet)
- First job as worded
- Defteri Hakani Kalemi
- Age at first work (workbook field)
- 19
- First salary field (kuruş a month)
- 50
- First-job salary of the original workbook (kuruş a month)
- 50
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 29 officials with entries in Üsküdar in the same years, Mehmet Ali Bey had the 21st highest salary.
- Hüseyin Hüsnü Efendi10 shared years; highest salary 1,690 kuruş
- Ahmet Mehmet Efendi10 shared years; highest salary 1,000 kuruş
- Mustafa Kâmil Bey10 shared years; highest salary 750 kuruş
- Mehmet Nazım Bey9 shared years; highest salary 1,550 kuruş
- Mehmet Agâh Efendi8 shared years; highest salary 2,800 kuruş
Same job title, same years
Of the 108 officials with the title Posta Memuru in the same years, Mehmet Ali Bey had the 40th highest salary.
- İskender Efendi16 shared years; highest salary 1,500 kuruş
- Osman Hulusi Efendi15 shared years; highest salary 500 kuruş
- Ahmet Resmi Efendi15 shared years; highest salary 400 kuruş
- Mehmet Vahit Sıtkı Efendi14 shared years; highest salary 1,800 kuruş
- Ali Rıza Efendi13 shared years; highest salary 600 kuruş
Same school
Of the 3,206 officials with Rüşdiye Mektebi among their schools, 3,200 have a recorded salary; Mehmet Ali Bey had the 634th highest salary of them.
- Abdulvahab Efendiborn 1849/50 (AH 1266); highest salary 500 kuruş
- Ahmet Cemal Efendiborn 1849/50 (AH 1266); highest salary 760 kuruş
- Ahmet Halit Efendiborn 1849/50 (AH 1266); highest salary 720 kuruş
- Ahmet Latif Efendiborn 1849/50 (AH 1266); highest salary 800 kuruş
- Ahmet Recai Efendiborn 1849/50 (AH 1266); highest salary 500 kuruş
Same birthplace
Of the 1,999 officials born in Istanbul, 1,997 have a recorded salary; Mehmet Ali Bey had the 625th highest salary of them.
- Abdullah Naili Efendiborn 1849/50 (AH 1266); highest salary 600 kuruş
- Ahmet Halit Efendiborn 1849/50 (AH 1266); highest salary 720 kuruş
- Ahmet Latif Efendiborn 1849/50 (AH 1266); highest salary 800 kuruş
- Ali Galip Beyborn 1849/50 (AH 1266); highest salary 20,000 kuruş
- Ali Riza Efendiborn 1849/50 (AH 1266); highest salary 600 kuruş
First annual entry in the same year
Of the 62 officials whose first annual entry is for 1871/72 (AH 1288), Mehmet Ali Bey had the 31st highest salary.
- Aleksan Hurşit Efendifirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 800 kuruş
- Edvar Galyar Efendifirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 800 kuruş
- Marat Beyefendifirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 750 kuruş
- Hüseyin Avni Efendifirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 1,050 kuruş
- Mehmet Hasib Efendifirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 1,380 kuruş
Full record
Annual entries (22)
| Year | Title | Place | Kuruş a month | Institution | Source | Archive reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1871/72AH 1288 | Defter-i Hakani Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 50 | Land Registry (Defter-i Hakani) | Cross-ministry personnel workbook | 8_75; 145 |
| 1872/73AH 1289 | Sehir Posta Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 300 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_75; 145 |
| 1873/74AH 1290 | Posta Memuru | Beşiktaş | 495 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_75; 145 |
| 1874/75AH 1291 | Posta Memuru | Beşiktaş | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_75; 145 |
| 1875/76AH 1292 | Posta Memuru | Beşiktaş | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_75; 145 |
| 1876/77AH 1293 | Posta Memuru | Beşiktaş | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_75; 145 |
| 1877/78AH 1294 | Posta Memuru | Beşiktaş | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_75; 145 |
| 1878AH 1295 | Posta Memuru | Üsküdar | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_75; 145 |
| 1878/79AH 1296 | Posta Memuru | Üsküdar | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_75; 145 |
| 1879/80AH 1297 | Posta Memuru | Üsküdar | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_75; 145 |
| 1880/81AH 1298 | Posta Memuru | Üsküdar | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_75; 145 |
| 1881/82AH 1299 | Posta Memuru | Üsküdar | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_75; 145 |
| 1882/83AH 1300 | Posta Memuru | Üsküdar | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_75; 145 |
| 1883/84AH 1301 | Posta Memuru | Üsküdar | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_75; 145 |
| 1884/85AH 1302 | Posta Memuru | Üsküdar | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_75; 145 |
| 1885/86AH 1303 | Posta Memuru | Üsküdar | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_75; 145 |
| 1886/87AH 1304 | Posta Memuru | Üsküdar | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_75; 145 |
| 1887/88AH 1305 | Posta Memuru | Sirkeci | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_75; 145 |
| 1888/89AH 1306 | İstatistik Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_75; 145 |
| 1889/90AH 1307 | İstatistik Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 650 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_75; 145 |
| 1890/91AH 1308 | İstatistik Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 650 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_75; 145 |
| 1891/92AH 1309 | İstatistik Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 750 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_75; 145 |
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 (26)
| Field | Recorded value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | ||
| Name | Mehmet Ali Bey | Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract; Linked personnel workbook |
| Birth year (AH) | 1266 | 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 | asker | Recovered annual personnel extract |
| 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 |
| Place of the school | sehzade | 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) | 0 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract; Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| First work | ||
| First work: year (AH) | 1285 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract; Linked personnel workbook |
| First work: Gregorian year as stored | 1868 | 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 | Defteri Hakani Kalemi | Linked personnel workbook; Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| Age at first work (workbook field) | 19 | Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| First salary field (kuruş a month) | 50 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| First-job salary of the original workbook (kuruş a month) | 50 | Linked personnel workbook; Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| Status | ||
| Death recorded under the year (AH) | 1310 | 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.
- 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.
- 21 annual entries of 22 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 Ali Bey
- Postal official (Posta Memuru)
- Üsküdar
- 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)