British Leeward Islands

Leeward Islands
1671–1816 1833–1958
Flag (1871–1956) Arms (1909)
Anthem: "God Save the Queen/King"
Status	British colony
Capital	St. John's, Antigua
Common languages	English (official) Leeward Caribbean Creole English Dominican Creole French
Religion	Christianity (Anglican, Catholic, Methodist)
Government	Constitutional monarchy
Monarch
• 1671–1702	William III (first)
• 1952–58	Elizabeth II (last)
Governor
• 1683–98	Colonel Christopher Codrington (first)
• 1956–58	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
Area
1958	1,047 km2 (404 sq mi)
Currency	Pound sterling (official) Spanish dollar, Mexican peso also used
Preceded by Succeeded by Anguilla Antigua Barbuda Dominica Montserrat Nevis Saint Christopher Virgin Islands West Indies Federation British Virgin Islands
Today part of	Anguilla  Antigua and Barbuda  British Virgin Islands  Dominica  Montserrat  Saint Kitts and Nevis

The British Leeward Islands now refers to the Leeward Islands as an English and later British colony from 1671 to 1958, except for the years from 1816 to 1833. 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 in 1833, coming together until 1871 under the administration of the Governor of Antigua. The islands then became known as the Federal Colony of the Leeward Islands from 1871 to 1956, with Dominica becoming part of the colony in 1871 but leaving it again in 1940, and in 1958 the remaining islands were absorbed into the West Indies Federation.

A representative Leeward Islands cricket team continues to participate in West Indian domestic cricket.

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 British Leeward Islands
• Attorney General of the Leeward Islands
• Chief Justice of the Leeward Islands
• British Windward Islands
• History of the British West Indies

References

•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Leeward Islands". Encyclopædia Britannica. 16 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 371.
• WorldStatesmen- see each present country
• Leeward Islands – Flag