British Leeward Islands
Federal Colony of the Leeward Islands | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Anthem: "God Save the Queen/King" | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Status | Colony of the United Kingdom | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Capital | St. John's | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Common languages | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Religion | Christianity (Anglican, Catholic, Methodist) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Government | Constitutional monarchy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Monarch | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
• 1671–1685 (first) | Charles II | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
• 1952–1958 (last) | Elizabeth II | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Governor-in-chief | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
• 1671-1683 (first) | William Stapleton | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
• 1957–1960[a] (last) | Alexander Williams | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
History | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
• Established | 1671 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
• Divided | 1816 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
• Reformed | 1833 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
• Federal colony | 1871 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
• Dominica joined | 1871 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
• Dominica left | 1940 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
3 January 1958 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Currency |
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The British Leeward Islands was a British colony from 1671 to 1958, consisting of the English (later British) overseas possessions in the Leeward Islands. It ceased to exist from 1816 to 1833, during which time it was split into two separate colonies (Antigua–Barbuda–Montserrat and Saint Christopher–Nevis–Anguilla–Virgin Islands). 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
[edit]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; in 1940, it was transferred to the British Windward Islands group.[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
[edit]The armed forces of the colony included 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
[edit]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
[edit]- 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
Notes
[edit]- ^ The office of governor-in-chief was officially abolished on 1 January 1960, although the territory had been abolished two years earlier.
References
[edit]- ^ 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 and further reading
[edit]- 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
- Dator, James. "Frank Travels: Space, Power and Slave Mobility in the British Leeward Islands, c. 1700–1730." Slavery & Abolition 36.2 (2015): 335-359. online
- Fergus, Howard A. A history of education in the British Leeward Islands, 1838-1945 (University of West Indies Press, 2003).
- Hicks, Dan. "Material improvements: The archaeology of estate landscapes in the British Leeward Islands, 1713–1838." in State Landscapes: Design, Improvement, and Power in the Post-Medieval Landscape (Boydell and Brewer, 2007) pp: 205-227. online
- Higman, Barry W. "Small Islands, Large Questions: Post-Emancipation Historiography of the Leeward Islands." in Small Islands, Large Questions (Routledge, 2014) pp. 8-28.
External links
[edit]- British Leeward Islands
- British West Indies
- Leeward Islands (Caribbean)
- Former British colonies and protectorates in the Americas
- Former countries in the Caribbean
- Former English colonies
- Former federations
- History of British Antigua and Barbuda
- History of British Dominica
- History of British Saint Christopher and Nevis
- Saint Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla
- States and territories established in 1833
- States and territories disestablished in 1958
- 1830s establishments in the Caribbean
- 1833 establishments in the British Empire
- 1958 disestablishments in the British Empire
- 1833 establishments in North America
- 1958 disestablishments in North America
- British Windward Islands
- Former colonies in North America