Official
Ahmet Hamdi Efendi
Muslim (Müslüman). Born in Aleppo (Halep) in 1854/55 (AH 1271). On record 1869 to 1896, 28 annual entries.
Archive reference 0062_0048; 93
Life#
Born in Aleppo (Halep) in 1854/55 (AH 1271), Ahmet Hamdi Efendi came from the Muslim (Müslüman) community; the father was a merchant (tüccar). Schooling took four years, at a school for young children (Sıbyan Mektebi); Ahmet Hamdi also wrote Arabic as well as Turkish.
Ahmet Hamdi began work in Aleppo in 1869/70, at about 15, with half a year without pay as a mülazım (apprentice) before a first salary of 400 kuruş. The first annual entry, for 1869/70, places Ahmet Hamdi in Bilecik as a communications official (Muhabere Memuru), where the entries run to 1871/72. Next came Gaziantep (Antep) and Latakia (Lazkiye) from 1872 to 1876, then Damascus (Şam) from 1876 to 1880. The annual lists then follow Ahmet Hamdi to Homs (Humus) from 1880 to 1890, then Beirut in 1890/91. The last posts were in Harem (Harim) from 1891 to 1896, first as a chief communications official (Başmuhabere Memuru), from 1895/96 as a director of the third grade (3. Müdür).
Pay rose from 400 kuruş a month in 1869/70 to a peak of 500 in 1891/92, as Başmuhabere Memuru in Harem, when 43 per cent of paid officials earned less. In all, 28 years of salary come to 136,320 kuruş, 77 per cent of what an official on the median salary earned in those years. The final annual entry is for 1895/96.
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 1869/70 (AH 1286)
1876 to 1880 (AH 1293 to 1297)
380 to 400 kuruş a month; entries in 5 years
1891 to 1896 (AH 1309 to 1313)
Başmuhabere Memuru 1891 to 1895 (AH 1309 to 1312); 3. Müdür 1895/96 (AH 1313)
500 kuruş a month; entries in 5 years
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1869/70 | 400 | 600 | 400 | 690 | 18% |
| 1870/71 | 400 | 600 | 400 | 500 | 20% |
| 1871/72 | 380 | 550 | 400 | 480 | 20% |
| 1872/73 | 380 | 550 | 400 | 450 | 18% |
| 1873/74 | 380 | 500 | 400 | 535 | 18% |
| 1874/75 | 380 | 535 | 450 | 570 | 18% |
| 1875/76 | 380 | 530 | 400 | 535 | 18% |
| 1876/77 | 400 | 582.5 | 410 | 500 | 17% |
| 1877/78 | 400 | 560 | 410 | 400 | 16% |
| 1878 | 400 | 600 | 500 | 600 | 17% |
| 1878/79 | 400 | 600 | 420 | 600 | 18% |
| 1879/80 | 380 | 500 | 380 | 500 | 22% |
| 1880/81 | 380 | 500 | 400 | 500 | 21% |
| 1881/82 | 380 | 500 | 400 | 500 | 20% |
| 1882/83 | 380 | 500 | 400 | 500 | 18% |
| 1883/84 | 380 | 500 | 400 | 500 | 18% |
| 1884/85 | 380 | 500 | 400 | 500 | 18% |
| 1885/86 | 380 | 500 | 400 | 500 | 19% |
| 1886/87 | 380 | 500 | 400 | 500 | 19% |
| 1887/88 | 380 | 500 | 400 | 500 | 19% |
| 1888/89 | 380 | 500 | 400 | 500 | 21% |
| 1889/90 | 380 | 500 | 400 | 500 | 21% |
| 1890/91 | 380 | 500 | 400 | 500 | 22% |
| 1891/92 | 500 | 500 | 600 | 500 | 43% |
| 1892/93 | 500 | 500 | 600 | 600 | 44% |
| 1893/94 | 500 | 500 | 600 | 550 | 46% |
| 1894/95 | 500 | 500 | 600 | 600 | 46% |
| 1895/96 | 500 | 500 | 600 | 540 | 47% |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1869/70AH 1286 | First work | Aleppo (Halep) | 400first-salary field |
| 1869 to 1872AH 1286 to 1288 | Muhabere Memuru | Bilecik | 400 to 380 |
| 1872/73AH 1289 | Muhabere Memuru | Gaziantep (Antep) | 380 |
| 1873 to 1876AH 1290 to 1292 | Muhabere Memuru | Latakia (Lazkiye) | 380 |
| 1876 to 1880AH 1293 to 1297 | Muhabere Memuru | Damascus (Şam) | 400 to 380 |
| 1880 to 1890AH 1298 to 1307 | Muhabere Memuru | Homs (Humus) | 380 |
| 1890/91AH 1308 | Muhabere Memuru | Beirut (Beyrut) | 380 |
| 1891 to 1895AH 1309 to 1312 | Başmuhabere Memuru | Harem (Harim) | 500 |
| 1895/96AH 1313 | 3. Müdür | Harem (Harim) | 500 |
Record#
Personal
- Born
- 1854/55 (AH 1271)
- Birthplace
- Aleppo (Halep)
- Community
- Muslim (Müslüman)
- Nationality as recorded
- Turkish
- Father's occupation
- Tuccar
Education
- Primary
- Sıbyan Mektebi (4 years)school for young children (primary school)
- Unpaid years (mülazemet)
- 0.5 years
- Preparation route (classification of the paper)
- Low
- Qualification (diploma, certificate, training or nişan)
- NoShown as in the flag of the paper. The qualification column of the recovered extract gives yes.
The years count all schooling up to that school, as the record gives them.
Languages
- Arabic
- Kitabetwriting
- Turkish
- Kitabetwriting
The glosses are cautious historical readings of the recorded words, not modern levels of proficiency.
First work
- Year
- 1869/70 (AH 1286)
- Place
- Aleppo (Halep)
- First salary field (kuruş a month)
- 400
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 6 officials who held Muhabere Memuru in Damascus (Şam) in the same years, Ahmet Hamdi Efendi had the 4th highest salary.
- Mustafa Hakkı Efendi5 shared years; highest salary 700 kuruş
- Mustafa Vehbi Efendi5 shared years; highest salary 450 kuruş
- Mustafa Cudi Efendi4 shared years; highest salary 1,200 kuruş
- Cafer Sadık Efendi4 shared years; highest salary 750 kuruş
- Abdullah Efendi2 shared years; highest salary 500 kuruş
Same place, same years
Of the 14 officials with entries in Damascus (Şam) in the same years, Ahmet Hamdi Efendi had the 12th highest salary.
- Mahmut Hilmi Efendi5 shared years; highest salary 3,000 kuruş
- Mehmet Said Efendi5 shared years; highest salary 800 kuruş
- Mustafa Hakkı Efendi5 shared years; highest salary 700 kuruş
- Mustafa Vehbi Efendi5 shared years; highest salary 450 kuruş
- Mustafa Cudi Efendi4 shared years; highest salary 1,200 kuruş
Same job title, same years
Of the 1,271 officials with the title Muhabere Memuru in the same years, Ahmet Hamdi Efendi had the 953rd highest salary.
- Tahir Efendi23 shared years; highest salary 1,500 kuruş
- Nikola Yunani Efendi23 shared years; highest salary 1,350 kuruş
- Mehmet Nazım Efendi23 shared years; highest salary 1,300 kuruş
- Şarl Laze Efendi23 shared years; highest salary 1,250 kuruş
- Tatar Ağası Zade Hafız Abdullah Efendi23 shared years; highest salary 1,100 kuruş
Same school
Of the 746 officials with Sıbyan Mektebi among their schools, 745 have a recorded salary; Ahmet Hamdi Efendi had the 511th highest salary of them.
- Abdürreşid Sabit İzzetborn 1854/55 (AH 1271); highest salary 400 kuruş
- Ahmed Efendiborn 1854/55 (AH 1271); highest salary 500 kuruş
- Ahmet Kadri Efendiborn 1854/55 (AH 1271); highest salary 1,500 kuruş
- Ahmet Necip Efendiborn 1854/55 (AH 1271); highest salary 600 kuruş
- Akif Efendiborn 1854/55 (AH 1271); highest salary 1,200 kuruş
Same birthplace
Of the 67 officials born in Aleppo (Halep), Ahmet Hamdi Efendi had the 29th highest salary.
- Yosef Efendiborn 1853/54 (AH 1270); highest salary 800 kuruş
- Fethi Efendiborn 1851/52 (AH 1268); highest salary 650 kuruş
- Edmun Efendiborn 1857/58 (AH 1274); highest salary 400 kuruş
- Mustafa Sabri Efendiborn 1857/58 (AH 1274); highest salary 700 kuruş
- Mehmet Vahit Sıtkı Efendiborn 1859/60 (AH 1276); highest salary 1,800 kuruş
The page of Aleppo (Halep), with the 67 officials born there
First annual entry in the same year
Of the 116 officials whose first annual entry is for 1869/70 (AH 1286), Ahmet Hamdi Efendi had the 101st highest salary.
- Mehmet Muhyittin Efendifirst entry in Bilecik; highest salary 800 kuruş
- Süleyman Efendifirst entry in Bilecik; highest salary 750 kuruş
- Ahmet Necip Efendifirst entry in Svishtov (Ziştovi); highest salary 600 kuruş
- Mehmet Nazım Efendifirst entry in Üsküdar; highest salary 1,300 kuruş
- Mehmet Nusret Efendifirst entry in Prozor; highest salary 800 kuruş
All 116 officials whose first annual entry is for 1869/70 (AH 1286)
Full record
Annual entries (28)
| Year | Title | Place | Kuruş a month | Institution | Source | Archive reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1869/70AH 1286 | Muhabere Memuru | Bilecik | 400 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0048; 93 |
| 1870/71AH 1287 | Muhabere Memuru | Bilecik | 400 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0048; 93 |
| 1871/72AH 1288 | Muhabere Memuru | Bilecik | 380 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0048; 93 |
| 1872/73AH 1289 | Muhabere Memuru | Gaziantep (Antep) | 380 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0048; 93 |
| 1873/74AH 1290 | Muhabere Memuru | Latakia (Lazkiye) | 380 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0048; 93 |
| 1874/75AH 1291 | Muhabere Memuru | Latakia (Lazkiye) | 380 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0048; 93 |
| 1875/76AH 1292 | Muhabere Memuru | Latakia (Lazkiye) | 380 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0048; 93 |
| 1876/77AH 1293 | Muhabere Memuru | Damascus (Şam) | 400 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0048; 93 |
| 1877/78AH 1294 | Muhabere Memuru | Damascus (Şam) | 400 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0048; 93 |
| 1878AH 1295 | Muhabere Memuru | Damascus (Şam) | 400 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0048; 93 |
| 1878/79AH 1296 | Muhabere Memuru | Damascus (Şam) | 400 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0048; 93 |
| 1879/80AH 1297 | Muhabere Memuru | Damascus (Şam) | 380 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0048; 93 |
| 1880/81AH 1298 | Muhabere Memuru | Homs (Humus) | 380 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0048; 93 |
| 1881/82AH 1299 | Muhabere Memuru | Homs (Humus) | 380 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0048; 93 |
| 1882/83AH 1300 | Muhabere Memuru | Homs (Humus) | 380 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0048; 93 |
| 1883/84AH 1301 | Muhabere Memuru | Homs (Humus) | 380 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0048; 93 |
| 1884/85AH 1302 | Muhabere Memuru | Homs (Humus) | 380 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0048; 93 |
| 1885/86AH 1303 | Muhabere Memuru | Homs (Humus) | 380 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0048; 93 |
| 1886/87AH 1304 | Muhabere Memuru | Homs (Humus) | 380 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0048; 93 |
| 1887/88AH 1305 | Muhabere Memuru | Homs (Humus) | 380 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0048; 93 |
| 1888/89AH 1306 | Muhabere Memuru | Homs (Humus) | 380 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0048; 93 |
| 1889/90AH 1307 | Muhabere Memuru | Homs (Humus) | 380 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0048; 93 |
| 1890/91AH 1308 | Muhabere Memuru | Beirut (Beyrut) | 380 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0048; 93 |
| 1891/92AH 1309 | Başmuhabere Memuru | Harem (Harim) | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0048; 93 |
| 1892/93AH 1310 | Başmuhabere Memuru | Harem (Harim) | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0048; 93 |
| 1893/94AH 1311 | Başmuhabere Memuru | Harem (Harim) | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0048; 93 |
| 1894/95AH 1312 | Başmuhabere Memuru | Harem (Harim) | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0048; 93 |
| 1895/96AH 1313 | 3. Müdür | Harem (Harim) | 500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 0062_0048; 93 |
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)
| Field | Recorded value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | ||
| Name | Ahmet Hamdi Efendi | Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Birth year (AH) | 1271 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Birthplace | halep | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Province of birth | halep | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Father's occupation | tuccar | 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 | Sibyan Mektebi | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Years of schooling | 4 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Years of apprenticeship (mülazemet) | 0.5 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| First work | ||
| First work: year (AH) | 1286 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| First work: Gregorian year as stored | 1869 | Recovered annual personnel extract |
| First work: place | Halep | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| First salary field (kuruş a month) | 400 | Recovered 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.
- 27 annual entries of 28 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 Hamdi Efendi
- Communications official (Muhabere Memuru)
- Homs (Humus)
- Aleppo (Halep)
- School for young children (Sıbyan 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)