British Leeward Islands

(Federal) Colony of the Leeward Islands
(Federal) Colony of the Leeward Islands
1671–1816; 1833–1959;
	Flag; (1871–1952) Coat of arms (1909–1940)
	Anthem: "God Save the Queen/King"
Status	Colony of the United Kingdom
Capital	St. John's, Antigua
Common languages	English (official); Antiguan and Barbudan Creole; Dominican Creole French;
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	Pound sterling (official); Spanish dollar; Mexican peso;
Preceded by	Succeeded by
	Anguilla
	Antigua
	Barbuda
	Dominica
	Montserrat
	Nevis
	Saint Christopher
	Virgin Islands
West Indies Federation
British Virgin Islands

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.