Official
Mehmet Arif Efendi
Muslim (Müslüman). Born in Istanbul (Dersaadet) in 1847/48 (AH 1264). On record 1867 to 1909, 43 annual entries.
Archive reference 8_71; 137
Life#
Born in Istanbul in 1847/48 (AH 1264) into the Muslim (Müslüman) community, Mehmet Arif Efendi was the child of a senior judge (mevali). Work began in Istanbul in 1864/65, at about 16, with three unpaid years as a mülazım (apprentice) before a first salary of 400 kuruş. The annual lists begin in 1867/68, with Mehmet Arif as a communications official (Muhabere Memuru) in Gjirokastër (Ergiri). Mehmet Arif then moved to Mecitözü, Kastamonu, Safranbolu and Trabzon, four places in six years, with a rise to director of the second grade (2. Müdür) in 1870/71, then back to Istanbul, the birthplace, from 1874 to 1880. From 1880 to 1909 the annual entries place Mehmet Arif in Mabeyni humayun, first as Muhabere Memuru, from 1902/03 as a chief communications official (Başmuhabere Memuru). Entries spanning 43 years are rare, reached by fewer than 2 per cent of the 5,211 officials.
Pay rose from 400 kuruş a month in 1867/68 to a peak of 3,600 in 1908/09, as Başmuhabere Memuru in Mabeyni humayun, when 97 per cent of paid officials earned less. In all, 43 years of salary come to 966,240 kuruş, 3.7 times what an official on the median salary earned in those years, a level reached by fewer than 3 per cent of the 3,805 officials paid for five years or more. The last annual entry is for 1908/09.
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 1847/48 (AH 1264); First work 1864/65 (AH 1281)
1874 to 1880 (AH 1291 to 1297)
Tahrirat Kalemi 1874 to 1879 (AH 1291 to 1296); Muhabere Memuru 1879/80 (AH 1297)
800 to 1,250 kuruş a month; entries in 7 years
1880 to 1909 (AH 1298 to 1326)
Muhabere Memuru 1880 to 1902 (AH 1298 to 1319); Başmuhabere Memuru 1902 to 1909 (AH 1320 to 1326)
1,000 to 3,600 kuruş a month; entries in 29 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.
The numbers of the chart
| Year | Salary | Median, all officials | Median, same title | Paid less |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1867/68 | 400 | 600 | 480 | 17% |
| 1868/69 | 600 | 600 | 480 | 47% |
| 1869/70 | 600 | 600 | 400 | 48% |
| 1870/71 | 800 | 600 | 1,000 | 63% |
| 1871/72 | 900 | 550 | 855 | 75% |
| 1872/73 | 1,090 | 550 | 850 | 84% |
| 1873/74 | 1,090 | 500 | 830 | 84% |
| 1874/75 | 900 | 535 | 420 | 75% |
| 1875/76 | 1,000 | 530 | 700 | 78% |
| 1876/77 | 1,000 | 582.5 | 600 | 77% |
| 1877/78 | 1,250 | 560 | 700 | 86% |
| 1878 | 1,250 | 600 | 900 | 85% |
| 1878/79 | 1,250 | 600 | 700 | 85% |
| 1879/80 | 800 | 500 | 380 | 77% |
| 1880/81 | 1,000 | 500 | 400 | 84% |
| 1881/82 | 1,500 | 500 | 400 | 91% |
| 1882/83 | 1,500 | 500 | 400 | 90% |
| 1883/84 | 1,500 | 500 | 400 | 91% |
| 1884/85 | 1,500 | 500 | 400 | 90% |
| 1885/86 | 1,500 | 500 | 400 | 91% |
| 1886/87 | 1,500 | 500 | 400 | 91% |
| 1887/88 | 1,500 | 500 | 400 | 92% |
| 1888/89 | 1,800 | 500 | 400 | 94% |
| 1889/90 | 1,800 | 500 | 400 | 94% |
| 1890/91 | 1,800 | 500 | 400 | 95% |
| 1891/92 | 2,200 | 500 | 400 | 97% |
| 1892/93 | 2,200 | 500 | 400 | 97% |
| 1893/94 | 2,300 | 500 | 400 | 97% |
| 1894/95 | 2,300 | 500 | 400 | 97% |
| 1895/96 | 2,700 | 500 | 400 | 98% |
| 1896/97 | 2,430 | 500 | 400 | 98% |
| 1897/98 | 2,430 | 500 | 400 | 98% |
| 1898/99 | 2,430 | 500 | 400 | 98% |
| 1899/1900 | 2,700 | 500 | 400 | 98% |
| 1900/01 | 2,700 | 500 | 400 | 98% |
| 1901/02 | 3,000 | 500 | 400 | 98% |
| 1902/03 | 3,250 | 500 | 562.5 | 98% |
| 1903/04 | 3,250 | 475 | 600 | 99% |
| 1904/05 | 3,250 | 450 | 600 | 99% |
| 1905/06 | 3,250 | 475 | 600 | 98% |
| 1906/07 | 3,350 | 450 | 650 | 98% |
| 1907/08 | 3,350 | 300 | 97% | |
| 1908/09 | 3,600 | 350 | 97% |
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 | First work | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 400first-salary field |
| 1867/68AH 1284 | Muhabere Memuru | Gjirokastër (Ergiri) | 400 |
| 1868/69AH 1285 | Muhabere Memuru | Mecitözü | 600 |
| 1869/70AH 1286 | Muhabere Memuru | Kastamonu | 600 |
| 1870 to 1872AH 1287 to 1288 | 2. Müdür | Safranbolu | 800 to 900 |
| 1872/73AH 1289 | 2. Müdür | Kastamonu | 1,090 |
| 1873/74AH 1290 | 2. Müdür | Trabzon | 1,090 |
| 1874 to 1879AH 1291 to 1296 | Tahrirat Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 900 to 1,250 |
| 1879/80AH 1297 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 800 |
| 1880 to 1902AH 1298 to 1319 | Muhabere Memuru | Mabeyni humayun | 1,000 to 3,000 |
| 1902 to 1909AH 1320 to 1326 | Başmuhabere Memuru | Mabeyni humayun | 3,250 to 3,600 |
Record#
Personal
- Born
- 1847/48 (AH 1264)
- Birthplace
- Istanbul (Dersaadet)
- Community
- Muslim (Müslüman)
- Nationality as recorded
- Turkish
- Father's occupation
- Mevali
Education
- Primary
- Sıbyan Mektebi (4 years)school for young children (primary school)
- Higher or professional
- Telgraf Mektebitelegraph school; recorded as a code
- Unpaid years (mülazemet)
- 3 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
- 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 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 place, same years
Of the 20 officials with entries in Mabeyni humayun in the same years, Mehmet Arif Efendi had the 2nd highest salary.
- Mehmet Vehbi Efendi29 shared years; highest salary 6,400 kuruş
- Mehmet Hulusi Bey27 shared years; highest salary 2,600 kuruş
- Ahmet Hakki Efendi22 shared years; highest salary 2,500 kuruş
- Hasan Tevfik Efendi18 shared years; highest salary 1,600 kuruş
- Ali Şevket Efendi18 shared years; highest salary 1,450 kuruş
Same job title, same years
Of the 2,225 officials with the title Muhabere Memuru in the same years, Mehmet Arif Efendi had the 8th highest salary.
- Nikola Yunani Efendi26 shared years; highest salary 1,350 kuruş
- Şarl Laze Efendi26 shared years; highest salary 1,250 kuruş
- Unnamed official (23_38; 73)26 shared years; highest salary 800 kuruş
- Yusuf Bey26 shared years; highest salary 650 kuruş
- Mehmet Halit Efendi25 shared years; highest salary 900 kuruş
Same school
Of the 746 officials with Sıbyan Mektebi among their schools, 745 have a recorded salary; Mehmet Arif Efendi had the 25th highest salary of them.
- Abdullah Vehbi Efendiborn 1847/48 (AH 1264); highest salary 500 kuruş
- Abdurrahman Şakir Beyborn 1847/48 (AH 1264); highest salary 1,500 kuruş
- Afif Efendiborn 1847/48 (AH 1264); highest salary 800 kuruş
- Ahmet Hamdi Efendiborn 1847/48 (AH 1264); highest salary 1,100 kuruş
- Ahmet Nazif Efendiborn 1847/48 (AH 1264); highest salary 950 kuruş
Same birthplace
Of the 1,999 officials born in Istanbul, 1,997 have a recorded salary; Mehmet Arif Efendi had the 61st highest salary of them.
- Abdurrahman Şakir Beyborn 1847/48 (AH 1264); highest salary 1,500 kuruş
- Acemyan Dikran Efendiborn 1847/48 (AH 1264); highest salary 1,100 kuruş
- Afif Efendiborn 1847/48 (AH 1264); highest salary 800 kuruş
- Ahmet Nazif Efendiborn 1847/48 (AH 1264); highest salary 950 kuruş
- Ahmet Rıza Efendiborn 1847/48 (AH 1264); highest salary 150 kuruş
First annual entry in the same year
Of the 73 officials whose first annual entry is for 1867/68 (AH 1284), Mehmet Arif Efendi had the 5th highest salary.
- Abdulhamit Efendifirst entry in Baghdad (Bağdat); highest salary 1,200 kuruş
- Ahmet Hamdi Efendifirst entry in Şebinkarahisar (Karahisar-ı Şarki); highest salary 1,100 kuruş
- Ahmet Nazif Efendifirst entry in Şarköy; highest salary 950 kuruş
- Ali Muhtar Efendifirst entry in Beyşehir; highest salary 600 kuruş
- Ali Rıza Efendifirst entry in Shumen (Şumnu); highest salary 760 kuruş
Full record
Annual entries (43)
| Year | Title | Place | Kuruş a month | Institution | Source | Archive reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1867/68AH 1284 | Muhabere Memuru | Gjirokastër (Ergiri) | 400 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_71; 137 |
| 1868/69AH 1285 | Muhabere Memuru | Mecitözü | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_71; 137 |
| 1869/70AH 1286 | Muhabere Memuru | Kastamonu | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_71; 137 |
| 1870/71AH 1287 | 2. Müdür | Safranbolu | 800 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_71; 137 |
| 1871/72AH 1288 | 2. Müdür | Safranbolu | 900 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_71; 137 |
| 1872/73AH 1289 | 2. Müdür | Kastamonu | 1,090 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_71; 137 |
| 1873/74AH 1290 | 2. Müdür | Trabzon | 1,090 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_71; 137 |
| 1874/75AH 1291 | Tahrirat Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 900 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_71; 137 |
| 1875/76AH 1292 | Tahrirat Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,000 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_71; 137 |
| 1876/77AH 1293 | Tahrirat Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,000 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_71; 137 |
| 1877/78AH 1294 | Tahrirat Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,250 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_71; 137 |
| 1878AH 1295 | Tahrirat Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,250 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_71; 137 |
| 1878/79AH 1296 | Tahrirat Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,250 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_71; 137 |
| 1879/80AH 1297 | Muhabere Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 800 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_71; 137 |
| 1880/81AH 1298 | Muhabere Memuru | Mabeyni humayun | 1,000 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_71; 137 |
| 1881/82AH 1299 | Muhabere Memuru | Mabeyni humayun | 1,500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_71; 137 |
| 1882/83AH 1300 | Muhabere Memuru | Mabeyni humayun | 1,500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_71; 137 |
| 1883/84AH 1301 | Muhabere Memuru | Mabeyni humayun | 1,500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_71; 137 |
| 1884/85AH 1302 | Muhabere Memuru | Mabeyni humayun | 1,500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_71; 137 |
| 1885/86AH 1303 | Muhabere Memuru | Mabeyni humayun | 1,500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_71; 137 |
| 1886/87AH 1304 | Muhabere Memuru | Mabeyni humayun | 1,500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_71; 137 |
| 1887/88AH 1305 | Muhabere Memuru | Mabeyni humayun | 1,500 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_71; 137 |
| 1888/89AH 1306 | Muhabere Memuru | Mabeyni humayun | 1,800 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_71; 137 |
| 1889/90AH 1307 | Muhabere Memuru | Mabeyni humayun | 1,800 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_71; 137 |
| 1890/91AH 1308 | Muhabere Memuru | Mabeyni humayun | 1,800 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_71; 137 |
| 1891/92AH 1309 | Muhabere Memuru | Mabeyni humayun | 2,200 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_71; 137 |
| 1892/93AH 1310 | Muhabere Memuru | Mabeyni humayun | 2,200 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_71; 137 |
| 1893/94AH 1311 | Muhabere Memuru | Mabeyni humayun | 2,300 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_71; 137 |
| 1894/95AH 1312 | Muhabere Memuru | Mabeyni humayun | 2,300 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_71; 137 |
| 1895/96AH 1313 | Muhabere Memuru | Mabeyni humayun | 2,700 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_71; 137 |
| 1896/97AH 1314 | Muhabere Memuru | Mabeyni humayun | 2,430 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_71; 137 |
| 1897/98AH 1315 | Muhabere Memuru | Mabeyni humayun | 2,430 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_71; 137 |
| 1898/99AH 1316 | Muhabere Memuru | Mabeyni humayun | 2,430 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_71; 137 |
| 1899/1900AH 1317 | Muhabere Memuru | Mabeyni humayun | 2,700 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_71; 137 |
| 1900/01AH 1318 | Muhabere Memuru | Mabeyni humayun | 2,700 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_71; 137 |
| 1901/02AH 1319 | Muhabere Memuru | Mabeyni humayun | 3,000 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_71; 137 |
| 1902/03AH 1320 | Başmuhabere Memuru | Mabeyni humayun | 3,250 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_71; 137 |
| 1903/04AH 1321 | Başmuhabere Memuru | Mabeyni humayun | 3,250 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_71; 137 |
| 1904/05AH 1322 | Başmuhabere Memuru | Mabeyni humayun | 3,250 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_71; 137 |
| 1905/06AH 1323 | Başmuhabere Memuru | Mabeyni humayun | 3,250 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_71; 137 |
| 1906/07AH 1324 | Başmuhabere Memuru | Mabeyni humayun | 3,350 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_71; 137 |
| 1907/08AH 1325 | Başmuhabere Memuru | Mabeyni humayun | 3,350 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_71; 137 |
| 1908/09AH 1326 | Başmuhabere Memuru | Mabeyni humayun | 3,600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 8_71; 137 |
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 | Mehmet Arif Efendi | Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Birth year (AH) | 1264 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Birthplace | dersaadet | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Province of birth | dersaadet | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Father's occupation | Mevali | 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 |
| Telegraph school (recorded code) | 1 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| Years of apprenticeship (mülazemet) | 3 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| First work | ||
| First work: year (AH) | 1281 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| 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 |
| 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.
- 37 annual entries of 43 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 Arif Efendi
- Communications official (Muhabere Memuru)
- Mabeyni humayun
- Istanbul (Dersaadet)
- 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)