Federal Colony of the Leeward Islands | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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1671–1816 1833–1958 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Anthem: "God Save the Queen/King" | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Status | Colony of the United Kingdom | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Capital | St. John's | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Common languages | English (official) Leeward Caribbean Creole English Dominican Creole French | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Religion | Christianity (Anglican, Catholic, Methodist) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Government | Constitutional monarchy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Monarch | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
• 1671–1685 | Charles II (first) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
• 1952–1958 | Elizabeth II (last) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Governor in Chief | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
• 1671-1683 | Sir William Stapleton, 1st Baronet (first) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
• 1956–1958 | Alexander Thomas Williams (last) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
History | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
• Established | 1671 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
• Divided | 1816 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
• Reformed | 1833 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
• Federal colony | 1871 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
• Dominica joined | 1871 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
• Dominica left | 1940 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
• Joined West Indies Federation | 1958 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
• Federation dissolved | 31 May 1962 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Currency | Pound sterling (official) Spanish dollar, Mexican peso also used | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The British Leeward Islands now refers to the Leeward Islands as an English overseas possession. It was a British colony from 1671 to 1958, except for the years from 1816 to 1833 where it was split into two separate colonies (Antigua-Barbuda-Montserrat and Saint Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla-Virgin Islands), before being united again in 1833. It was dissolved in 1958 after the separation of the British Virgin Islands, and the remaining islands became parts of the West Indies Federation.
History
The Leeward Islands was established as an English colony in 1671. In 1816, the islands were divided in two regions: Antigua, Barbuda, and Montserrat in one colony, and Saint Christopher, Nevis, Anguilla, and the Virgin Islands in the other.
The Leeward Islands were united again as a semi-federal entity in 1833, coming together until 1872 under the administration of the Governor of Antigua. The islands then became known as the Federal Colony of the Leeward Islands from 1872 to 1956. From 1833 to 1940, Dominica was part of the colony.[1]
On 3 January 1958 all islands except the Virgin Islands were absorbed into the West Indies Federation. The British Leeward Islands finally ceased to exist with the abolition of the office of its governor, and the elevation of the British Virgin Islands to the status of a separate crown colony, in 1960.[2][3]
A representative Leeward Islands cricket team continues to participate in West Indian domestic cricket.
- Armed forces structure in 1939
Includes the structures from Saint Kitts and Nevis, Montserrat, Antigua, Dominica, and British Virgin Islands.[4]
- Saint Kitts and Nevis Defence Force
- Royal Montserrat Defence Force
- Royal Antigua Defense Force
- Dominica Defense Force
Postage stamps
The islands of the Leeward Islands all used postage stamps inscribed "LEEWARD ISLANDS" between 1890 and 1 July 1956, often concurrently with stamps inscribed with the colony's name. The islands also issued revenue stamps between 1882 and the 1930s.
See also
- List of governors of the Leeward Islands
- Attorney General of the Leeward Islands
- Chief Justice of the Leeward Islands
- British Windward Islands
- History of the British West Indies
References
- ^ Honychurch, Lennox (1995). The Dominica Story: A History of the Island (3rd ed.). London: Macmillan Publishers. pp. 129, 132, 175. ISBN 0-333-62776-8.
- ^ "Private Lands Conservation in the British Virgin Islands". University of Colorado Boulder. Natural Resources Law Center. 2004. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
- ^ "Encyclopedia Britannica - BVI". Retrieved 1 October 2020.
- ^ "Leeward Islands, 03.09.1939". niehorster.org. Retrieved 19 January 2019.
Sources
- public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Leeward Islands". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 16 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 371. This article incorporates text from a publication now in the
External links