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, Antigua | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Common languages | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Religion | Christianity (Anglican, Catholic, Methodist) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Government | Constitutional monarchy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Monarch | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
• 1671–1685 (first) | Charles II | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
• 1952–1959 (last) | Elizabeth II | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Governor in Chief | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
• 1671–1683 (first) | William Stapleton | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
• 1956–1959 (last) | Alexander Williams | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
History | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
• Established | 1671 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
• Divided | 1816 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
• Reformed | 1833 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
• Federal colony | 1871 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
• Dominica joined | 1871 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
• Dominica left | 1940 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
• Joined West Indies Federation (except the British Virgin Islands) | 3 January 1958 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
• Dissolution of the British Leeward Islands, and replaced by the British Virgin Islands | 31 December 1959 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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.