British Leeward Islands

British Leeward Islands
1833–1958
Flag
Anthem: "God Save the Queen"
Status	British colony
Capital	St. John's
Common languages	English
Government	Constitutional monarchy
Monarch
• 1952-1960 (last)	Elizabeth II
Governor
• 1956–1958 (last)	Alexander Thomas Williams
History
• Established	1833
• Federation	1871
• Dominica joined	1871
• Dominica left	1940
• West Indies Federation	1958
• Federation dissolved	31 May 1962
Area
1958	1,047 km2 (404 sq mi)
Preceded by Succeeded by Anguilla British Antigua Barbuda British Virgin Islands British Dominica Montserrat British Nevis British Saint Kitts West Indies Federation British Virgin Islands

The British Leeward Islands was a British colony existing between 1833 and 1960, and consisting of Antigua, Barbuda, the British Virgin Islands, Montserrat, Saint Kitts, Nevis, Anguilla and (to 1940) Dominica.

The previous colony of the Leeward Islands had existed since 1671, but in 1816 it was divided in two, with Antigua, Barbuda and Montserrat in one colony, and Saint Christopher, Nevis, Anguilla, and the Virgin Islands in another.

The British Leeward Islands was reformed in 1833, with the Governor of Antigua serving as Governor until 1871. The colony became known as the Federal Colony of the Leeward Islands from 1871 to 1956 and the Territory of the Leeward Islands from 1956 to 1960.

The "Leeward Islands" is still the title of one of the Caribbean first-class cricket sides.

Postage stamps

The British 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; for more detail, see postage stamps and postal history of the Leeward Islands.

See also

• List of Governors of the British Leeward Islands
• British Windward Islands
• History of the British West Indies
• Leeward Islands

Sources and references

• This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
• WorldStatesmen- see each present country
• Leeward Islands - Flag