Official
Refet Efendi
Muslim (Müslüman). Born in Istanbul (Dersaadet) in 1849/50 (AH 1266). On record 1870 to 1906, 37 annual entries.
Archive reference 54_106; 209/210
Life#
Refet Efendi was born in Istanbul in 1849/50 (AH 1266) into the Muslim (Müslüman) community. Schooling took seven years, at a middle school (Rüşdiye Mektebi).
At about 20, in 1870/71, Refet began work in the telegraph service (Telgraf) in Istanbul, paid from the start, on 250 kuruş a month. The annual lists begin in 1870/71, with Refet in the dispatch office (Sevk Kalemi) in Istanbul, the birthplace, where the entries run to 1884/85, with a rise to postal official (Posta Memuru) in 1873/74 and to a post in the accounts office (Muhasebe Kalemi) in 1875/76. Refet then moved to Yeni camii postanesi and Hudavendigar from 1885 to 1890. From 1890 to 1906 the annual entries place Refet again in Istanbul.
The salary went from 250 kuruş a month in 1870/71 to 1,480 in 1903/04, the peak, in the Muhasebe Kalemi in Istanbul, when 94 per cent of paid officials earned less. Over 37 years the salaries add up to 403,860 kuruş, 1.8 times what an official on the median salary earned. The last annual entry is for 1905/06.
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 1849/50 (AH 1266); First work 1870/71 (AH 1287); 1870 to 1885 (AH 1287 to 1302)
First work as Telgraf
Sevk Kalemi 1870/71 (AH 1287); Ruznamce Kalemi 1871/72 (AH 1288); Mukayyit 1872/73 (AH 1289); Posta Memuru 1873 to 1875 (AH 1290 to 1291); Muhasebe Kalemi 1875 to 1885 (AH 1292 to 1302)
190 to 750 kuruş a month; entries in 16 years
1885 to 1889 (AH 1303 to 1306)
740 to 1,000 kuruş a month; entries in 4 years
1890 to 1906 (AH 1308 to 1323)
1,000 to 1,480 kuruş a month; entries in 16 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1870/71 | 250 | 600 | 467 | 500 | 8% |
| 1871/72 | 190 | 550 | 500 | 5% | |
| 1872/73 | 250 | 550 | 437.5 | 550 | 7% |
| 1873/74 | 400 | 500 | 425 | 500 | 24% |
| 1874/75 | 400 | 535 | 400 | 522.5 | 23% |
| 1875/76 | 440 | 530 | 280 | 550 | 33% |
| 1876/77 | 600 | 582.5 | 400 | 587.5 | 50% |
| 1877/78 | 600 | 560 | 400 | 600 | 50% |
| 1878 | 600 | 600 | 400 | 600 | 46% |
| 1878/79 | 750 | 600 | 400 | 600 | 63% |
| 1879/80 | 600 | 500 | 380 | 500 | 61% |
| 1880/81 | 600 | 500 | 400 | 500 | 60% |
| 1881/82 | 600 | 500 | 400 | 500 | 60% |
| 1882/83 | 600 | 500 | 320 | 500 | 59% |
| 1883/84 | 600 | 500 | 320 | 500 | 59% |
| 1884/85 | 650 | 500 | 390 | 500 | 69% |
| 1885/86 | 740 | 500 | 380 | 500 | 73% |
| 1886/87 | 740 | 500 | 400 | 500 | 73% |
| 1887/88 | 1,000 | 500 | 400 | 500 | 83% |
| 1888/89 | 1,000 | 500 | 310 | 500 | 84% |
| 1889/90 | 1,000 | 500 | 250 | 475 | 85% |
| 1890/91 | 1,000 | 500 | 272.5 | 500 | 86% |
| 1891/92 | 1,000 | 500 | 200 | 500 | 86% |
| 1892/93 | 1,100 | 500 | 182.5 | 500 | 89% |
| 1893/94 | 1,100 | 500 | 200 | 480 | 90% |
| 1894/95 | 1,450 | 500 | 250 | 450 | 94% |
| 1895/96 | 1,305 | 500 | 250 | 440 | 93% |
| 1896/97 | 1,350 | 500 | 245 | 425 | 94% |
| 1897/98 | 1,350 | 500 | 275 | 425 | 94% |
| 1898/99 | 1,350 | 500 | 262.5 | 440 | 94% |
| 1899/1900 | 1,400 | 500 | 300 | 450 | 94% |
| 1900/01 | 1,400 | 500 | 300 | 450 | 93% |
| 1901/02 | 1,400 | 500 | 340 | 440 | 93% |
| 1902/03 | 1,400 | 500 | 350 | 450 | 93% |
| 1903/04 | 1,480 | 475 | 350 | 450 | 94% |
| 1904/05 | 1,480 | 450 | 375 | 450 | 94% |
| 1905/06 | 1,480 | 475 | 400 | 425 | 93% |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1870/71AH 1287 | Telgraffirst work | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 250first-salary field |
| 1870/71AH 1287 | Sevk Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 250 |
| 1871/72AH 1288 | Ruznamce Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 190 |
| 1872/73AH 1289 | Mukayyit | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 250 |
| 1873 to 1875AH 1290 to 1291 | Posta Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 400 |
| 1875 to 1885AH 1292 to 1302 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 440 to 650 |
| 1885 to 1889AH 1303 to 1306 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Yeni camii postanesi | 740 to 1,000 |
| 1889/90AH 1307 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Hudavendigar | 1,000 |
| 1890 to 1906AH 1308 to 1323 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,000 to 1,480 |
Record#
Personal
- Born
- 1849/50 (AH 1266)
- Birthplace
- Istanbul (Dersaadet)
- Community
- Muslim (Müslüman)
- Nationality as recorded
- Turkish
Education
- Rüşdiye
- Rüşdiye Mektebi (7 years)rüşdiye school (middle school)
- Unpaid years (mülazemet)
- 0 years
- 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
- 1870/71 (AH 1287)
- Place
- Istanbul (Dersaadet)
- First job as worded
- Telgraf
- Age at first work (workbook field)
- 20
- First salary field (kuruş a month)
- 250
- First-job salary of the original workbook (kuruş a month)
- 250
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 168 officials who held Muhasebe Kalemi in Istanbul in the same years, Refet Efendi had the 28th highest salary.
- Mehmet Hüsnü Bey21 shared years; highest salary 500 kuruş
- Mehmet Şemsettin Efendi20 shared years; highest salary 1,000 kuruş
- Mehmet Faik Efendi20 shared years; highest salary 600 kuruş
- Salih Tevfik Efendi17 shared years; highest salary 2,600 kuruş
- Ahmet Refik Bey17 shared years; highest salary 1,100 kuruş
Same place, same years
Of the 1,463 officials with entries in Istanbul in the same years, Refet Efendi had the 287th highest salary.
- Suleyman Resat Bey32 shared years; highest salary 7,000 kuruş
- Mehmet Hayri Bey32 shared years; highest salary 5,500 kuruş
- Melkok Efendi32 shared years; highest salary 5,000 kuruş
- Mehmet Salim Bey32 shared years; highest salary 3,000 kuruş
- Unnamed official (0007_0144; 285)32 shared years; highest salary 2,750 kuruş
Same job title, same years
Of the 222 officials with the title Muhasebe Kalemi in the same years, Refet Efendi had the 34th highest salary.
- Mehmet Hüsnü Bey26 shared years; highest salary 500 kuruş
- Mehmet Tevfik Efendi25 shared years; highest salary 1,300 kuruş
- Mehmet Faik Efendi25 shared years; highest salary 600 kuruş
- Berdos [Bedros] Efendi23 shared years; highest salary 800 kuruş
- Salih Tevfik Efendi22 shared years; highest salary 2,600 kuruş
Same school
Of the 3,206 officials with Rüşdiye Mektebi among their schools, 3,200 have a recorded salary; Refet Efendi had the 178th highest salary of them.
- Abdulvahab Efendiborn 1849/50 (AH 1266); highest salary 500 kuruş
- Ahmet Cemal Efendiborn 1849/50 (AH 1266); highest salary 760 kuruş
- Ahmet Halit Efendiborn 1849/50 (AH 1266); highest salary 720 kuruş
- Ahmet Latif Efendiborn 1849/50 (AH 1266); highest salary 800 kuruş
- Ahmet Recai Efendiborn 1849/50 (AH 1266); highest salary 500 kuruş
Same birthplace
Of the 1,999 officials born in Istanbul, 1,997 have a recorded salary; Refet Efendi had the 244th highest salary of them.
- Abdullah Naili Efendiborn 1849/50 (AH 1266); highest salary 600 kuruş
- Ahmet Halit Efendiborn 1849/50 (AH 1266); highest salary 720 kuruş
- Ahmet Latif Efendiborn 1849/50 (AH 1266); highest salary 800 kuruş
- Ali Galip Beyborn 1849/50 (AH 1266); highest salary 20,000 kuruş
- Ali Riza Efendiborn 1849/50 (AH 1266); highest salary 600 kuruş
First annual entry in the same year
Of the 66 officials whose first annual entry is for 1870/71 (AH 1287), Refet Efendi had the 17th highest salary.
- Antuvan Ramiz Efendifirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 630 kuruş
- Mehmet Mahcub Beyfirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 1,100 kuruş
- Mehmet Nuri Efendifirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 1,000 kuruş
- Mehmet Şükrü Efendifirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 2,500 kuruş
- Hafız Kemal Beyfirst entry in Istanbul; highest salary 1,000 kuruş
Full record
Annual entries (37)
| Year | Title | Place | Kuruş a month | Institution | Source | Archive reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1870/71AH 1287 | Sevk Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 250 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_106; 209/210 |
| 1871/72AH 1288 | Ruznamce Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 190 | Finance (Maliye) | Cross-ministry personnel workbook | 54_106; 209/210 |
| 1872/73AH 1289 | Mukayyit | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 250 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_106; 209/210 |
| 1873/74AH 1290 | Posta Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 400 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_106; 209/210 |
| 1874/75AH 1291 | Posta Memuru | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 400 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_106; 209/210 |
| 1875/76AH 1292 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 440 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_106; 209/210 |
| 1876/77AH 1293 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_106; 209/210 |
| 1877/78AH 1294 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_106; 209/210 |
| 1878AH 1295 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_106; 209/210 |
| 1878/79AH 1296 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 750 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_106; 209/210 |
| 1879/80AH 1297 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_106; 209/210 |
| 1880/81AH 1298 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_106; 209/210 |
| 1881/82AH 1299 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_106; 209/210 |
| 1882/83AH 1300 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_106; 209/210 |
| 1883/84AH 1301 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 600 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_106; 209/210 |
| 1884/85AH 1302 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 650 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_106; 209/210 |
| 1885/86AH 1303 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Yeni camii postanesi | 740 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_106; 209/210 |
| 1886/87AH 1304 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Yeni camii postanesi | 740 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_106; 209/210 |
| 1887/88AH 1305 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Yeni camii postanesi | 1,000 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_106; 209/210 |
| 1888/89AH 1306 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Yeni camii postanesi | 1,000 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_106; 209/210 |
| 1889/90AH 1307 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Hudavendigar | 1,000 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_106; 209/210 |
| 1890/91AH 1308 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,000 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_106; 209/210 |
| 1891/92AH 1309 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,000 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_106; 209/210 |
| 1892/93AH 1310 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,100 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_106; 209/210 |
| 1893/94AH 1311 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,100 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_106; 209/210 |
| 1894/95AH 1312 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,450 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_106; 209/210 |
| 1895/96AH 1313 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,305 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_106; 209/210 |
| 1896/97AH 1314 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,350 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_106; 209/210 |
| 1897/98AH 1315 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,350 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_106; 209/210 |
| 1898/99AH 1316 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,350 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_106; 209/210 |
| 1899/1900AH 1317 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,400 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_106; 209/210 |
| 1900/01AH 1318 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,400 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_106; 209/210 |
| 1901/02AH 1319 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,400 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_106; 209/210 |
| 1902/03AH 1320 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,400 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_106; 209/210 |
| 1903/04AH 1321 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,480 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_106; 209/210 |
| 1904/05AH 1322 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,480 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_106; 209/210 |
| 1905/06AH 1323 | Muhasebe Kalemi | Istanbul (Dersaadet) | 1,480 | Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf) | Recovered annual personnel extract | 54_106; 209/210 |
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 (23)
| Field | Recorded value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | ||
| Name | Refet Efendi | Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract; Linked personnel workbook |
| Birth year (AH) | 1266 | 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 |
| 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 |
| Years of schooling | 7 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract; Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| Years of apprenticeship (mülazemet) | 0 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract; Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| First work | ||
| First work: year (AH) | 1287 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract; Linked personnel workbook |
| First work: Gregorian year as stored | 1870 | 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 | Telgraf | Linked personnel workbook; Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| Age at first work (workbook field) | 20 | Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
| First salary field (kuruş a month) | 250 | Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract |
| First-job salary of the original workbook (kuruş a month) | 250 | Linked personnel workbook; Cross-ministry personnel workbook |
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.
- 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.
- 36 annual entries of 37 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
- Refet Efendi
- Accounts office (Muhasebe Kalemi)
- Istanbul (Dersaadet)
- Rüşdiye school (Rüşdiye Mektebi)
- Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)
- Muslim (Müslüman)
- Postal official (Posta Memuru)
- 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)