Historical Events
Patron's Medal for Ludwig Leichhardt
May 24 German explorer Ludwig Leichhardt is awarded the Patron's Medal by the Royal Geographical Society, London in recognition of 'the increased knowledge of the great continent of Australia' gained by his Moreton Bay-Port Essington journey
- May 31 Rotterdam-Hague Railway opens
Famous Birthdays
Archibald Primrose (1847-1929)
May 7 5th Earl of Rosebery, British Prime Minister (Liberal: 1894-95), born in London
- May 10 Wilhelm Killing, German mathematician (d. 1923)
- May 13 Johannes Haarklou, Norwegian organist, composer, and educator, born in Haukedalen, Norway (d. 1925)
- May 25 Alphonse Goovaerts, Belgian composer and musicologist (Histoire et Bibliographie de la Typographie Musicale dans les Pays-Bas), born in Antwerp, Belgium (d. 1922)
- May 25 John Alexander Dowie, Scottish-American evangelist (founded the city of Zion, Illinois), born in Edinburgh, Scotland (d. 1907)
- May 30 Alice Stopford Green, Irish historian and proponent of Irish independence, born in Kells, Ireland (d. 1929)
Famous Deaths
- May 14 Fanny Cacilia Mendelssohn Hensel, German composer, dies of complications from a stroke at 41
- May 16 Kaspar Ett, German organist/composer, dies at 59
- May 20 Mary Lamb, British writer (Tales from Shakespeare), dies at 82
- May 29 Emmanuel, marquis de Grouchy, French general and marshal, dies at 80
- May 31 Thomas Chalmers, Scottish minister and 1st moderator (Free Church of Scotland 1843-47), dies at 67
