Ottoman 1916 Supply Receipt for the Uşak Madrasa with Hejaz Railway Stamps Islam Education

Ottoman Supply Receipt for the Uşak Madrasa – Educational Institution Provisions with Hejaz Railway Stamps (1916)

Description:

This Ottoman Turkish document, dated 11 Teşrin-i Evvel 1332 (24 October 1916), relates to the provision of foodstuffs and daily necessities for a madrasa in Uşak during the First World War period. The document records in detail the supplies purchased for the institution together with their quantities and costs, offering a valuable glimpse into the logistical and financial operation of Ottoman educational and religious establishments during the empire's final years.

The listed provisions include butter, soap, dried beans, salt, chickpeas, firewood, coal, and other essential commodities required for the functioning of the madrasa. These goods were purchased from the Uşak grocer merchant Azizlerlizade Ali Bey, who officially acknowledged receipt of the total payment of 1,642 kuruş. Additional notes written in the lower sections of the document confirm that authorized officials within the institution approved and ordered the payment of the stated amount.

Beyond its accounting function, the document is an important social and economic record reflecting wartime provisioning practices, institutional consumption, and the relationship between Ottoman educational foundations and local tradesmen. The detailed listing of staple goods provides insight into the everyday material needs of a provincial Ottoman madrasa during a period marked by economic strain and wartime shortages.

The document bears numerous official seals together with Hejaz Railway stamps, which add considerable historical and collectible importance. Originally issued to help finance the construction of the Hejaz Railway, these stamps functioned not only as postal material but also as fiscal and donation stamps attached to official documents, petitions, court records, and financial transactions. Their use on administrative paperwork such as this document illustrates the broader fiscal policies of the late Ottoman Empire and the integration of public fundraising into bureaucratic life.

For collectors and researchers, this is a particularly appealing document combining Ottoman educational history, vakıf and institutional administration, wartime economy, and the fascinating history of Hejaz Railway fiscal stamps.

Key Features:

• Type: Ottoman institutional supply and payment receipt

• Date: 11 Teşrin-i Evvel 1332 (24 October 1916)

• Location: Uşak

• Institution: Ottoman madrasa (medrese)

• Subject: Purchase of provisions and daily necessities for madrasa use

• Supplier: Azizlerlizade Ali Bey, grocer merchant of Uşak

• Total Payment: 1,642 kuruş

• Listed Supplies: Butter, soap, dried beans, salt, chickpeas, firewood, coal, and other provisions

• Administrative Notes: Authorized officials approved and confirmed payment of the stated amount

• Historical Context: Documents provisioning practices and institutional expenditures during the First World War era in the Ottoman Empire

• Special Feature: Bears original Hejaz Railway fiscal stamps used for fundraising and taxation purposes within Ottoman administrative documents

• Physical Features: Numerous official seals and Hejaz Railway stamps present

• Collectible Significance: Valuable for collectors of Ottoman educational history, wartime economy, Hejaz Railway material, fiscal stamps, and Ottoman administrative documents