Official
Ahmet Tevfik Bey
Muslim (Müslüman). Born in Istanbul (Dersaadet) in 1845/46 (AH 1262). On record 1868 to 1900, 33 annual entries. Death recorded 1900/01.
Archive reference 0007_0150; 297
Life#
Born in Istanbul in 1845/46 (AH 1262), Ahmet Tevfik Bey came from the Muslim (Müslüman) community; the father's occupation was "Kapikethudasi". Ahmet Tevfik had seven years of schooling, at a middle school (Rüşdiye Mektebi), and held a qualification (a diploma, certificate, training or decoration).
Work began in the Rusumat Kalemi in Istanbul in 1864/65, at about 18, with one unpaid year as a mülazım (apprentice) before a first salary of 150 kuruş. From 1868/69 to 1899/1900 every annual entry places Ahmet Tevfik in Istanbul, the birthplace, with four changes of title, from office of the corresponding secretary (Mektubi Kalemi) to Muhasebe Kalemi Baskitabeti in 1892/93. Only 11 per cent of the 775 officials whose entries span 30 years or more stayed in one place throughout.
Pay rose from 250 kuruş a month in 1868/69 to a peak of 1,750 in 1878/79, in the accounts office (Muhasebe Kalemi) in Istanbul, when nine in ten paid officials earned less. The peak lasted a single year; the next list gives 750 kuruş. Over 33 years the salaries add up to 388,560 kuruş, 1.9 times what an official on the median salary earned. After the last annual entry, for 1899/1900, the list of 1900/01 (AH 1318) gives the status word Vefat (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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1868/69 | 250 | 600 | 500 | 6% | |
| 1869/70 | 750 | 600 | 600 | 520 | 59% |
| 1870/71 | 900 | 600 | 500 | 70% | |
| 1871/72 | 780 | 550 | 535 | 500 | 70% |
| 1872/73 | 865 | 550 | 632.5 | 550 | 75% |
| 1873/74 | 1,065 | 500 | 450 | 500 | 84% |
| 1874/75 | 1,065 | 535 | 340 | 522.5 | 84% |
| 1875/76 | 1,065 | 530 | 280 | 550 | 84% |
| 1876/77 | 1,500 | 582.5 | 400 | 587.5 | 89% |
| 1877/78 | 1,500 | 560 | 400 | 600 | 88% |
| 1878 | 1,500 | 600 | 400 | 600 | 87% |
| 1878/79 | 1,750 | 600 | 400 | 600 | 90% |
| 1879/80 | 750 | 500 | 500 | 73% | |
| 1880/81 | 750 | 500 | 500 | 73% | |
| 1881/82 | 750 | 500 | 500 | 74% | |
| 1882/83 | 750 | 500 | 500 | 73% | |
| 1883/84 | 750 | 500 | 500 | 72% | |
| 1884/85 | 750 | 500 | 500 | 72% | |
| 1885/86 | 750 | 500 | 500 | 73% | |
| 1886/87 | 750 | 500 | 500 | 73% | |
| 1887/88 | 750 | 500 | 500 | 73% | |
| 1888/89 | 850 | 500 | 500 | 82% | |
| 1889/90 | 950 | 500 | 500 | 84% | |
| 1890/91 | 950 | 500 | 500 | 85% | |
| 1891/92 | 950 | 500 | 500 | 86% | |
| 1892/93 | 1,000 | 500 | 500 | 87% | |
| 1893/94 | 1,000 | 500 | 480 | 87% | |
| 1894/95 | 1,000 | 500 | 450 | 87% | |
| 1895/96 | 1,200 | 500 | 440 | 90% | |
| 1896/97 | 1,080 | 500 | 425 | 91% | |
| 1897/98 | 1,080 | 500 | 425 | 91% | |
| 1898/99 | 1,080 | 500 | 440 | 91% | |
| 1899/1900 | 1,500 | 500 | 450 | 94% |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1864/65AH 1281 | Rusumat Kalemifirst work | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 150first-salary field |
| 1868/69AH 1285 | Mektubi Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 250 |
| 1869 to 1871AH 1286 to 1287 | Ruznamce Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 750 to 900 |
| 1871 to 1879AH 1288 to 1296 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 780 to 1,750 |
| 1879 to 1892AH 1297 to 1309 | Muhasebe Kalemi Mukayyitligi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 750 to 950 |
| 1892 to 1900AH 1310 to 1317 | Muhasebe Kalemi Baskitabeti | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,000 to 1,500 |
| 1900/01AH 1318 | Death recorded | ||
Record#
Personal
- Born
- 1845/46 (AH 1262)
- Birthplace
- Istanbul (Dersaadet)
- Community
- Muslim (Müslüman)
- Nationality as recorded
- Turkish
- Father's occupation
- Kapikethudasi
- Death recorded
- 1900/01 (AH 1318)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: Besiktas
- Unpaid years (mülazemet)
- 1 year
- 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
- 1864/65 (AH 1281)
- Place
- Istanbul (Dersaadet)
- First job as worded
- Rusumat Kalemi
- Age at first work (workbook field)
- 19
- First salary field (kuruş a month)
- 150
- First-job salary of the original workbook (kuruş a month)
- 150
Notes from the record
- Merit and competence grade (recorded code)
- 1
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 53 officials who held Muhasebe Kalemi in Istanbul in the same years, Ahmet Tevfik Bey had the 13th highest salary.
- Karabet Efendi9 shared years; highest salary 2,400 kuruş
- Mehmet Celalettin Efendi9 shared years; highest salary 1,500 kuruş
- Dimitri Aleksandridi Efendi9 shared years; highest salary 1,200 kuruş
- Hüseyin Saik Efendi9 shared years; highest salary 1,100 kuruş
- Unnamed official (0007_0147; 291)9 shared years; highest salary 800 kuruş
Same place, same years
Of the 1,233 officials with entries in Istanbul in the same years, Ahmet Tevfik Bey had the 211th highest salary.
- Suleyman Resat Bey33 shared years; highest salary 7,000 kuruş
- Mehmet Hayri Bey33 shared years; highest salary 5,500 kuruş
- Melkok Efendi33 shared years; highest salary 5,000 kuruş
- Mehmet Salim Bey33 shared years; highest salary 3,000 kuruş
- Mustafa Fahrettin Bey33 shared years; highest salary 3,000 kuruş
Same job title, same years
Of the 61 officials with the title Muhasebe Kalemi in the same years, Ahmet Tevfik Bey had the 16th highest salary.
- Karabet Efendi9 shared years; highest salary 2,400 kuruş
- Mehmet Celalettin Efendi9 shared years; highest salary 1,500 kuruş
- Dimitri Aleksandridi Efendi9 shared years; highest salary 1,200 kuruş
- Hüseyin Saik Efendi9 shared years; highest salary 1,100 kuruş
- Unnamed official (0007_0147; 291)9 shared years; highest salary 800 kuruş
Same school
Of the 3,206 officials with Rüşdiye Mektebi among their schools, 3,200 have a recorded salary; Ahmet Tevfik Bey had the 114th highest salary of them.
- Abdullah Efendiborn 1845/46 (AH 1262); highest salary 1,000 kuruş
- Haci Sefik Efendiborn 1845/46 (AH 1262); highest salary 2,375 kuruş
- Hasan Kamil Efendiborn 1845/46 (AH 1262); highest salary 400 kuruş
- Hasan Zuhdu Beyborn 1845/46 (AH 1262); highest salary 2,100 kuruş
- Mehmed Niyazi Efendiborn 1845/46 (AH 1262); highest salary 800 kuruş
Same birthplace
Of the 1,999 officials born in Istanbul, 1,997 have a recorded salary; Ahmet Tevfik Bey had the 180th highest salary of them.
- Ahmet Hamdi Efendiborn 1845/46 (AH 1262); highest salary 400 kuruş
- Ali Refik Beyborn 1845/46 (AH 1262); highest salary 6,000 kuruş
- Ali Rıza Efendiborn 1845/46 (AH 1262); highest salary 200 kuruş
- Haci Sefik Efendiborn 1845/46 (AH 1262); highest salary 2,375 kuruş
- Hafız Tevfik Efendiborn 1845/46 (AH 1262); highest salary 800 kuruş
First annual entry in the same year
Of the 89 officials whose first annual entry is for 1868/69 (AH 1285), Ahmet Tevfik Bey had the 16th highest salary.
- İbrahim Hakki Beyfirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 7,000 kuruş
- Tafur Efendifirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 2,500 kuruş
- Teohari Efendifirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 800 kuruş
- Avadis Şalcıyan Efendifirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 1,000 kuruş
- Hüseyin Saik Efendifirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 1,100 kuruş
Full record
Annual entries (33)
| Year | Title | Place | Kuruş a month | Institution | Source | Archive reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1868/69AH 1285 | Mektubi Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 250 | Other | Cross-ministry personnel workbook | 0007_0150; 297 |
| 1869/70AH 1286 | Ruznamce Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 750 | Finance (Maliye) | Cross-ministry personnel workbook | 0007_0150; 297 |
| 1870/71AH 1287 | Ruznamce Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 900 | Finance (Maliye) | Cross-ministry personnel workbook | 0007_0150; 297 |
| 1871/72AH 1288 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 780 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0007_0150; 297 |
| 1872/73AH 1289 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 865 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0007_0150; 297 |
| 1873/74AH 1290 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,065 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0007_0150; 297 |
| 1874/75AH 1291 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,065 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0007_0150; 297 |
| 1875/76AH 1292 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,065 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0007_0150; 297 |
| 1876/77AH 1293 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0007_0150; 297 |
| 1877/78AH 1294 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0007_0150; 297 |
| 1878AH 1295 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0007_0150; 297 |
| 1878/79AH 1296 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,750 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0007_0150; 297 |
| 1879/80AH 1297 | Muhasebe Kalemi Mukayyitligi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 750 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0007_0150; 297 |
| 1880/81AH 1298 | Muhasebe Kalemi Mukayyitligi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 750 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0007_0150; 297 |
| 1881/82AH 1299 | Muhasebe Kalemi Mukayyitligi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 750 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0007_0150; 297 |
| 1882/83AH 1300 | Muhasebe Kalemi Mukayyitligi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 750 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0007_0150; 297 |
| 1883/84AH 1301 | Muhasebe Kalemi Mukayyitligi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 750 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0007_0150; 297 |
| 1884/85AH 1302 | Muhasebe Kalemi Mukayyitligi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 750 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0007_0150; 297 |
| 1885/86AH 1303 | Muhasebe Kalemi Mukayyitligi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 750 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0007_0150; 297 |
| 1886/87AH 1304 | Muhasebe Kalemi Mukayyitligi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 750 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0007_0150; 297 |
| 1887/88AH 1305 | Muhasebe Kalemi Mukayyitligi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 750 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0007_0150; 297 |
| 1888/89AH 1306 | Muhasebe Kalemi Mukayyitligi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 850 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0007_0150; 297 |
| 1889/90AH 1307 | Muhasebe Kalemi Mukayyitligi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 950 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0007_0150; 297 |
| 1890/91AH 1308 | Muhasebe Kalemi Mukayyitligi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 950 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0007_0150; 297 |
| 1891/92AH 1309 | Muhasebe Kalemi Mukayyitligi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 950 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0007_0150; 297 |
| 1892/93AH 1310 | Muhasebe Kalemi Baskitabeti | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,000 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0007_0150; 297 |
| 1893/94AH 1311 | Muhasebe Kalemi Baskitabeti | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,000 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0007_0150; 297 |
| 1894/95AH 1312 | Muhasebe Kalemi Baskitabeti | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,000 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0007_0150; 297 |
| 1895/96AH 1313 | Muhasebe Kalemi Baskitabeti | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,200 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0007_0150; 297 |
| 1896/97AH 1314 | Muhasebe Kalemi Baskitabeti | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,080 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0007_0150; 297 |
| 1897/98AH 1315 | Muhasebe Kalemi Baskitabeti | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,080 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0007_0150; 297 |
| 1898/99AH 1316 | Muhasebe Kalemi Baskitabeti | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,080 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0007_0150; 297 |
| 1899/1900AH 1317 | Muhasebe Kalemi Baskitabeti | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0007_0150; 297 |
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 (27)
| Field | Recorded value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | ||
| Name | Ahmet Tevfik Bey | Linked personnel workbook |
| Birth year (AH) | 1262 | 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 | kapikethudasi | 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 |
| Place of the school | Besiktas | 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; Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| First work | ||
| First work: year (AH) | 1281 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract; Linked personnel workbook |
| First work: Gregorian year as stored | 1864 | 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 | Rusumat 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) | 150 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| First-job salary of the original workbook (kuruş a month) | 150 | Linked personnel workbook; Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| Status | ||
| Death recorded under the year (AH) | 1318 | Earlier annual personnel extract (original copy); Earlier annual personnel extract (parallel copy) |
| Other recorded values | ||
| Merit and competence grade (recorded code) | 1 | Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
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.
- 30 annual entries of 33 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
- Ahmet Tevfik Bey
- Muhasebe Kalemi Mukayyitligi
- Istanbul (Dersaadet)
- Rüşdiye school (Rüşdiye Mektebi)
- Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)
- Muslim (Müslüman)
- Accounts office (Muhasebe Kalemi)
- 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)