Thomas Erskine May, 1st Baron Farnborough

Thomas Erskine May, 1st Baron Farnborough (8 February 1815–17 May 1886) was a British constitutional theorist. This derived from his career at the House of Commons, where he was appointed assistant to Thomas Vardon, chief librarian of the House of Commons Library in 1831. He became examiner of petitions for private bills in 1847, Clerk Assistant in 1856, and Clerk of the House of Commons by letters patent on 16 February 1871. Thomas Erskine May This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Thomas Erskine May This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Farnborough is a town in the Rushmoor borough of Hampshire in South East England. ... February 8 is the 39th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... The Battle of New Orleans 1815 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... May 17 is the 137th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (138th in leap years). ... 1886 (MDCCCLXXXVI) is a common year starting on Friday (click on link to calendar) // Events January 18 - Modern field hockey is born with the formation of The Hockey Association in England. ... The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... The Librarian, a 1556 painting by Giuseppe Arcimboldo A librarian is an information professional trained in library science: the organization and management of information and service to people with information needs. ... The House of Commons Library is the library and information resource of the lower house of the British Parliament. ... Private bills (see private bill) are acts considered or acted upon by a legislature that help a single individual by affording relief from another law, granting a unique benefit, or relieving the individual from legal responsibility for some allegedly wrongful act. ... Letters Patent by Queen Victoria creating the office of Governor-General of Australia Letters patent are a type of legal instrument in the form of an open letter issued by a monarch or government granting an office, a right, monopoly, title, or status to someone or some entity such as... February 16 is the 47th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1871 (MDCCCLXXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ...

His most famous work, A Practical Treatise on the Law, Privileges, Proceedings and Usage of Parliament (known as Parliamentary Practice or simply Erskine May), is considered part of the Constitution of the United Kingdom. Similarly, it is a highly influential document in many Commonwealth nations, often with strong influence on constitutional convention. The Constitution of the United Kingdom is an area of uncodified law, consisting of both written and unwritten sources. ... The Commonwealth of Nations (CN), usually known as the Commonwealth, is a voluntary association of 53 independent sovereign states, the majority of which are former colonies of the United Kingdom. ... A constitutional convention is an informal and uncodified procedural agreement that is followed by the institutions of a state. ...

Another notable work is The Constitutional History of England since the Accession of George III, 1760–1860 (ISBN 0-8377-2429-5). George III (George William Frederick) (4 June 1738–29 January 1820) was King of Great Britain, and King of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until 1 January 1801, and thereafter King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until his death. ...

Sir William McKay, who edited Erskine May's private journal considered May was possibly an unacknowledged son or grandson of Thomas Erskine, 1st Baron Erskine. Thomas Erskine, 1st Baron Erskine (10 January 1750 - 17 November 1823), Lord Chancellor of England, was the third and youngest son of Henry David Erskine, 10th Earl of Buchan, and was born in Edinburgh. ...

May was created Baron Farnborough on 11 May 1886, and died on 17 May 1886, and as he left no heirs, the title became extinct, making it the second-shortest-lived peerage in British history after the Barony of Leighton. May 11 is the 131st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (132nd in leap years). ... 1886 (MDCCCLXXXVI) is a common year starting on Friday (click on link to calendar) // Events January 18 - Modern field hockey is born with the formation of The Hockey Association in England. ... May 17 is the 137th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (138th in leap years). ... 1886 (MDCCCLXXXVI) is a common year starting on Friday (click on link to calendar) // Events January 18 - Modern field hockey is born with the formation of The Hockey Association in England. ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... Frederic Leighton, 1st Baron Leighton Flaming June Frederic Leighton, 1st Baron Leighton (3 December 1830–25 January 1896) was an English painter and sculptor. ...

A bust of May is displayed in D Room of the House of Commons Library. The House of Commons Library is the library and information resource of the lower house of the British Parliament. ...

Parliamentary Practice can be found in various editions, including:

• ISBN 0-406-29101-2 (1971 edition)
• ISBN 0-406-29103-9 (1983 edition)
• ISBN 0-406-97094-7 (2004 edition)