Historical Events
- May 4 The Cunard Steamship Company Ltd forms San Bonifacio
Famous Birthdays
- May 1 Hilaire de Chardonnet, French industrialist and inventor (rayon), born in Besançon, France (d. 1924)
- May 8 Adolphe-Basile Routhier, French Canadian lyricist ("O! Canada"), born in Saint-Placide, Quebec (d. 1920)
- May 8 Francis Warre-Cornish, English scholar and writer (d. 1916)
- May 19 Alice Mary Smith, British composer, born in London (d. 1884)
- May 25 John Eliot, English meteorologist, born in Lamesley, Durham (d. 1908)
- May 28 Luigi Capuana, Sicilian author and critic (Roccaverdina), born in Mineo, Sicily, Italy (d. 1915)
- May 29 Nat Thomson, Australian cricket all-rounder (2 Tests, 1 wicket, HS 41; NSW CA), born in Sydney, Australia (d. 1896)
- May 29 Ned Gregory, Australian cricket batsman (1 Test; first recognised Test in 1877), born in Sydney, New South Wales (d. 1899)
Famous Deaths
- May 3 Ferdinando Paer, Italian opera composer (Agnese), and conductor (Paris Opéra-Italien, 1812-23), dies at 67
- May 13 Israel Ashkenazi of Shklov, founded Ashkenazic community (1815), dies
- May 13 Joseph Fesch, French cardinal (Archbishop of Lyon, 1802-39), diplomat, art collector (Musée Fesch), and uncle of Napoleon, dies at 76
- May 17 Archibald Alison, Scottish author (b. 1757)
- May 18 Caroline Bonaparte, Queen consort of Naples and sister of Napoleon, dies at 57
