British Leeward Islands

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.

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 Leeward Islands as an entity 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.