Official
Osman Mazhar Bey
Muslim (Müslüman). Born in Izmir (İzmir) in 1854/55 (AH 1271). On record 1873 to 1895, 23 annual entries. Death recorded 1895/96.
Archive reference 5_114; 225
Life#
Osman Mazhar Bey was born in Izmir (İzmir) in 1854/55 (AH 1271), into the Muslim (Müslüman) community, and the father's occupation was "Posta ve telgraf naziri". Schooling took seven years, at a middle school (Rüşdiye Mektebi).
Osman Mazhar began work in Istanbul in 1872/73, at about 17, with one unpaid year as a mülazım (apprentice) before a first salary of 270 kuruş. Every annual entry from 1873/74 to 1894/95 places Osman Mazhar in Istanbul, with four changes of title, from Musevvit Kalemi to director (Müdür) in 1889/90.
The salary went from 270 kuruş a month in 1873/74 to 2,550 in 1893/94, the peak, as Müdür in Istanbul, when 98 per cent of paid officials earned less. Over 23 years the salaries add up to 377,040 kuruş, 2.6 times what an official on the median salary earned, a level reached by fewer than 6 per cent of the 3,805 officials paid for five years or more. The last annual entry is for 1894/95; the list of 1895/96 (AH 1313) 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 1854/55 (AH 1271)
First work 1872/73 (AH 1289); 1873 to 1895 (AH 1290 to 1312)
Musevvit Kalemi 1873 to 1875 (AH 1290 to 1291); Mektubi Kalemi 1875 to 1881 (AH 1292 to 1298); Sicil Kalemi 1881 to 1883 (AH 1299 to 1300); Mümeyyiz 1883 to 1889 (AH 1301 to 1306); Müdür 1889 to 1895 (AH 1307 to 1312)
270 to 2,550 kuruş a month; entries in 23 years
Death recorded in the annual list of 1895/96 (AH 1313): 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, 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
| Year | Salary | Median, all officials | Median, same title | Median, same province | Paid less |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1873/74 | 270 | 500 | 500 | 10% | |
| 1874/75 | 500 | 535 | 522.5 | 41% | |
| 1875/76 | 750 | 530 | 400 | 550 | 64% |
| 1876/77 | 800 | 582.5 | 300 | 587.5 | 67% |
| 1877/78 | 800 | 560 | 400 | 600 | 68% |
| 1878 | 800 | 600 | 450 | 600 | 65% |
| 1878/79 | 800 | 600 | 400 | 600 | 66% |
| 1879/80 | 700 | 500 | 380 | 500 | 72% |
| 1880/81 | 700 | 500 | 380 | 500 | 71% |
| 1881/82 | 1,000 | 500 | 500 | 84% | |
| 1882/83 | 1,000 | 500 | 500 | 82% | |
| 1883/84 | 1,500 | 500 | 500 | 91% | |
| 1884/85 | 1,500 | 500 | 500 | 90% | |
| 1885/86 | 1,500 | 500 | 500 | 91% | |
| 1886/87 | 1,500 | 500 | 500 | 91% | |
| 1887/88 | 1,700 | 500 | 500 | 93% | |
| 1888/89 | 1,700 | 500 | 500 | 93% | |
| 1889/90 | 2,000 | 500 | 2,000 | 500 | 95% |
| 1890/91 | 2,000 | 500 | 2,250 | 500 | 95% |
| 1891/92 | 2,400 | 500 | 2,400 | 500 | 97% |
| 1892/93 | 2,400 | 500 | 2,400 | 500 | 97% |
| 1893/94 | 2,550 | 500 | 2,500 | 480 | 98% |
| 1894/95 | 2,550 | 500 | 1,700 | 450 | 98% |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1872/73AH 1289 | First work | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 270first-salary field |
| 1873 to 1875AH 1290 to 1291 | Musevvit Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 270 to 500 |
| 1875 to 1881AH 1292 to 1298 | Mektubi Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 750 to 700 |
| 1881 to 1883AH 1299 to 1300 | Sicil Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,000 |
| 1883 to 1889AH 1301 to 1306 | Mümeyyiz | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,500 to 1,700 |
| 1889 to 1895AH 1307 to 1312 | Müdür | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 2,000 to 2,550 |
| 1895/96AH 1313 | Death recorded | ||
Record#
Personal
- Born
- 1854/55 (AH 1271)
- Birthplace
- Izmir (İzmir)
- Community
- Muslim (Müslüman)
- Nationality as recorded
- Turkish
- Father's occupation
- Posta ve telgraf naziri
- Death recorded
- 1895/96 (AH 1313)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)
- 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
- 1872/73 (AH 1289)
- Place
- Istanbul (Dersaadet)
- First salary field (kuruş a month)
- 270
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 19 officials who held Mektubi Kalemi in Istanbul in the same years, Osman Mazhar Bey had the 3rd highest salary.
- Ahmet Haydar Bey7 shared years; highest salary 1,600 kuruş
- Mehmet Nazmi Bey7 shared years; highest salary 1,500 kuruş
- Ali Bey7 shared years; highest salary 1,400 kuruş
- Hafız Kemal Bey7 shared years; highest salary 1,000 kuruş
- Mehmet Memduh Bey7 shared years; highest salary 600 kuruş
Same place, same years
Of the 999 officials with entries in Istanbul in the same years, Osman Mazhar Bey had the 115th highest salary.
- Emil Efendi23 shared years; highest salary 9,000 kuruş
- Salahattin Bey23 shared years; highest salary 7,800 kuruş
- Suleyman Resat Bey23 shared years; highest salary 7,000 kuruş
- Mehmet Hayri Bey23 shared years; highest salary 5,500 kuruş
- Melkok Efendi23 shared years; highest salary 5,000 kuruş
Same job title, same years
Of the 29 officials with the title Mektubi Kalemi in the same years, Osman Mazhar Bey had the 4th highest salary.
- Ahmet Haydar Bey7 shared years; highest salary 1,600 kuruş
- Mehmet Nazmi Bey7 shared years; highest salary 1,500 kuruş
- Ali Bey7 shared years; highest salary 1,400 kuruş
- Hafız Kemal Bey7 shared years; highest salary 1,000 kuruş
- Mehmet Arif Bey7 shared years; highest salary 700 kuruş
Same school
Of the 3,206 officials with Rüşdiye Mektebi among their schools, 3,200 have a recorded salary; Osman Mazhar Bey had the 56th highest salary of them.
- Ahmet Hamdi Efendiborn 1854/55 (AH 1271); highest salary 600 kuruş
- Ahmet Muhittin Beyborn 1854/55 (AH 1271); highest salary 8,000 kuruş
- Ahmet Refik Beyborn 1854/55 (AH 1271); highest salary 1,100 kuruş
- Ali Saib Efendiborn 1854/55 (AH 1271); highest salary 600 kuruş
- Ali Şefik Efendiborn 1854/55 (AH 1271); highest salary 640 kuruş
Same birthplace
Of the 62 officials born in Izmir (İzmir), Osman Mazhar Bey had the 4th highest salary.
- Hafız Bekir Sıdkı Efendiborn 1854/55 (AH 1271); highest salary 1,150 kuruş
- Mehmet Ali Efendiborn 1852/53 (AH 1269); highest salary 940 kuruş
- Mehmed Emin Efendiborn 1851/52 (AH 1268); highest salary 500 kuruş
- Nikolaki Efendiborn 1857/58 (AH 1274); highest salary 350 kuruş
- AHMET CEMİL EFENDİborn 1858/59 (AH 1275); highest salary 400 kuruş
First annual entry in the same year
Of the 69 officials whose first annual entry is for 1873/74 (AH 1290), Osman Mazhar Bey had the 8th highest salary.
- İbrahim Hilmi Efendifirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 600 kuruş
- İsmail Zihni Efendifirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 3,000 kuruş
- Mehmet Hulusi Beyfirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 2,600 kuruş
- Mahmut Galib Efendifirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 900 kuruş
- Hasan Sıtkı Efendifirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 800 kuruş
Full record
Annual entries (23)
| Year | Title | Place | Kuruş a month | Institution | Source | Archive reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1873/74AH 1290 | Musevvit Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 270 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_114; 225 |
| 1874/75AH 1291 | Musevvit Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_114; 225 |
| 1875/76AH 1292 | Mektubi Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 750 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_114; 225 |
| 1876/77AH 1293 | Mektubi Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 800 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_114; 225 |
| 1877/78AH 1294 | Mektubi Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 800 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_114; 225 |
| 1878AH 1295 | Mektubi Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 800 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_114; 225 |
| 1878/79AH 1296 | Mektubi Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 800 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_114; 225 |
| 1879/80AH 1297 | Mektubi Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 700 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_114; 225 |
| 1880/81AH 1298 | Mektubi Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 700 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_114; 225 |
| 1881/82AH 1299 | Sicil Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,000 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_114; 225 |
| 1882/83AH 1300 | Sicil Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,000 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_114; 225 |
| 1883/84AH 1301 | Mümeyyiz | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_114; 225 |
| 1884/85AH 1302 | Mümeyyiz | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_114; 225 |
| 1885/86AH 1303 | Mümeyyiz | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_114; 225 |
| 1886/87AH 1304 | Mümeyyiz | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_114; 225 |
| 1887/88AH 1305 | Mümeyyiz | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,700 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_114; 225 |
| 1888/89AH 1306 | Mümeyyiz | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,700 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_114; 225 |
| 1889/90AH 1307 | Müdür | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 2,000 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_114; 225 |
| 1890/91AH 1308 | Müdür | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 2,000 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_114; 225 |
| 1891/92AH 1309 | Müdür | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 2,400 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_114; 225 |
| 1892/93AH 1310 | Müdür | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 2,400 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_114; 225 |
| 1893/94AH 1311 | Müdür | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 2,550 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_114; 225 |
| 1894/95AH 1312 | Müdür | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 2,550 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 5_114; 225 |
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 (15)
| Field | Recorded value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | ||
| Name | Osman Mazhar Bey | Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Birth year (AH) | 1271 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Birthplace | izmir | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Province of birth | aydin | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Father's occupation | Posta ve telgraf naziri | 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 | Rusdiye Mektebi | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Years of schooling | 7 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Years of apprenticeship (mülazemet) | 1 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| First work | ||
| First work: year (AH) | 1289 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| First work: Gregorian year as stored | 1872 | Recovered annual personnel extract |
| First work: place | istanbul | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| First salary field (kuruş a month) | 270 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Status | ||
| Death recorded under the year (AH) | 1313 | 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.
- 23 annual entries of 23 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
- Osman Mazhar Bey
- Office of the corresponding secretary (Mektubi Kalemi)
- Istanbul (Dersaadet)
- Izmir (İzmir)
- 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)