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Ottoman BureaucracyPeople, places and careers in Ottoman public service

Official

Mehmet Arif Efendi

Muslim (Müslüman). Born in Istanbul (Dersaadet) in 1892/93 (AH 1310). On record 1909 to 1911, 3 annual entries.

Archive reference 188-9-8

Compare Mehmet Arif Efendi with other officials

Life

Mehmet Arif Efendi was born in Istanbul in 1892/93 (AH 1310), into the Muslim (Müslüman) community. Schooling took seven years, at a middle school (Rüşdiye Mektebi); Mehmet Arif also held a qualification (a diploma, certificate, training or decoration).

Mehmet Arif began work in Istanbul in 1909/10, at about 16, paid from the start, on 150 kuruş a month. From the first annual entry, for 1909/10, to 1911, every annual entry places Mehmet Arif in the same post, communications official (Muhabere Memuru), in Istanbul, the birthplace.

The salary went from 150 kuruş a month in 1909/10 to 200 in 1911, the peak, as Muhabere Memuru in Istanbul, when fewer than 1 per cent of paid officials earned less. Over three years the salaries add up to 6,000 kuruş, 34 per cent of what an official on the median salary earned. The final annual entry is for 1911.

Career and salary

Monthly salary by year, kuruşsalary of the yearyears with one job titleno annual entry
0501001502001909/10AH 13271910/11AH 13281911AH 1329200 kuruşMuhabere Memuru
Salary against the medians of the same year
1002005001909/10AH 13271910/11AH 13281911AH 1329This officialMedian, all officialsMedian, same title

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
Salary of Mehmet Arif Efendi against the medians of the same year, kuruş a month
YearSalaryMedian, all officialsMedian, same titlePaid less
1909/10150462.53000%
1910/111505003000%
19112005004000%

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 Mehmet Arif Efendi, one row per stage
YearsTitlePlaceSalary (kuruş a month)
1909/10AH 1327First workIstanbul (Dersaadet)150first-salary field
1909 to 1911AH 1327 to 1329Muhabere Memuru
3 entries
YearSalary
1909/10150
1910/11150
1911200
Istanbul (Dersaadet)150 to 200

Record

Personal

Born
1892/93 (AH 1310)
Community
Muslim (Müslüman)
Nationality as recorded
turkish

Education

Rüşdiye
Rüşdiye Mektebi (7 years)rüşdiye school (middle school)
Unpaid years (mülazemet)
0 years
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
1909/10 (AH 1327)
First salary field (kuruş a month)
150

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 148 officials with entries in Istanbul in the same years, Mehmet Arif Efendi had the 141st highest salary.

All 1,750 officials with entries in Istanbul

Same job title, same years

Of the 103 officials with the title Muhabere Memuru in the same years, Mehmet Arif Efendi had the 94th highest salary.

All 3,162 officials with the title Muhabere Memuru

Same school

Of the 3,206 officials with Rüşdiye Mektebi among their schools, 3,200 have a recorded salary; Mehmet Arif Efendi had the 2,739th highest salary of them.

All 3,206 officials with Rüşdiye Mektebi

Same birthplace

Of the 1,999 officials born in Istanbul, 1,997 have a recorded salary; Mehmet Arif Efendi had the 1,627th highest salary of them.

The page of Istanbul, with the 1,999 officials born there

First annual entry in the same year

Of the 123 officials whose first annual entry is for 1909/10 (AH 1327), 122 have a recorded salary; Mehmet Arif Efendi had the 105th highest salary of them.

Full record

Annual entries (3)

Annual entries of Mehmet Arif Efendi
YearTitlePlaceKuruş a monthInstitutionSourceArchive reference
1909/10AH 1327Muhabere MemuruIstanbul (Dersaadet)150Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)Recovered annual personnel extract188-9-8
1910/11AH 1328Muhabere MemuruIstanbul (Dersaadet)150Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)Recovered annual personnel extract188-9-8
1911AH 1329Muhabere MemuruIstanbul (Dersaadet)200Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)Recovered annual personnel extract188-9-8
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 (12)

Recorded values of Mehmet Arif Efendi with their sources
FieldRecorded valueSource
Identity
NameMehmet Arif EfendiPersonnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract
Birth year (AH)1310Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract
BirthplacedersaadetRecovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract
Province of birthdersaadetRecovered 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)0Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract
First work
First work: year (AH)1327Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract
First work: placeistanbulRecovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract
First salary field (kuruş a month)150Recovered 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.

How to read this record: calendar years, years without an annual entry, salaries and sources.

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