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- British Leeward Islands Colony
- former federal possession of United Kingdom
- 1871–1956, own name: Federal Colony of the Leeward Islands
- 1956–1958, own name: Territory of the Leeward Islands
• Flags
• Meaning/Origin of the Flag
• Coat of Arms
• Meaning/Origin of the Coat of Arms
• Map
• Numbers and Facts
• History
• Origin of the Country's Name
1874–1959,
Flag of the Governor,
ratio = 1:2,
Source, by: Wikipedia (EN)
1871–1958,
Flag of the government (state flag),
ratio = 1:2,
Source, by: Flags of the World
today's flag of Leeward Islands Cricket Team,
ratio = 2:3,
Source, by: Wikipedia (EN)
The colony of the British Leeward Islands was a federal colony consisting of individual territories, sub-colonies or islands. These individual colonies had their own flags, also called "Blue Ensigns" with their own badge, for use by the governments of these colonies. The overarching political entity of the British Leeward Islands also had its own Blue Ensign with its own Leeward Islands badge. The governor also used it on his flag. He was represented locally, in the associated sub-region, sub-colony or island, by an administrator. The federal colony ceased to exist when it was incorporated into the West Indies Federation, led by a Governor-General. Locally, in the associated sub-region, sub-colony or island, the highest representative of the Crown retained his rank. He remained an administrator or governor. The local flags (e.g. blue or red ensigns, i.e. separate state or merchant flags) were retained.
The colony of the Leeward Islands was founded in 1671, dissolved in 1816 and re-established in 1833, combining the possessions of the British Virgin Islands, Anguilla, St Kitts, Nevis, Montserrat, Antigua and, from 1871, Dominica. The "Federal Colony of the Leeward Islands" takes on structure at this time. Dominica was hived off in 1940 and incorporated into the colony of the British Windward Islands. In 1956 it was renamed "Territory of the Leeward Islands" and in 1958 it joined the West Indies Federation.
From the time, the individual islands became British possessions, individuals, citizens and also the authorities represented their status as citizens or organs of the British nation, embodied in the United Kingdom, through the use of the Union Jack, also called the "Union Flag".
At sea, the British merchant flag, the Red Ensign, was intended for British citizens from 1864. In a few cases, the citizens of a colony were authorised by the British Admiralty to use their own Red Ensign with the colony's badge at sea. The Union Jack in the top corner of these flags signalled the connections to United Kingdom.
United Kingdom introduced a flag system in 1864 in which:
• war ships fly the "White Ensign" (naval flag), a white flag often with an uninterrupted red St. George's-Cross and with the Union Jack in the upper staff quadrant of the flag,
• merchant ships fly a "Red Ensign" (also named "Civil Ensign" → civil flag, the real merchant flag), a red flag with the Union Jack in the upper staff quadrant of the flag, and
• governmental ships fly the "Blue Ensign" (flag for the use by the gouvernment → the actual state flag), a blue flag with the Union Jack in the upper staff quadrant of the flag.
From 1865, the ships of the colonial governments were allowed to use a Blue Ensign with a badge at the flying end. The respective governments were to provide appropriate badges. Merchant ships and seafaring privateers from colonies were only allowed to use a Red Ensign with a badge if the British Admiralty had issued a corresponding licence for that colony. Such a badge was often a regional landscape depiction on a disc, often showed ships, historical events or could simply be a kind of logo. Very often a badge also contained the name of the country or a motto. However, some possessions had a coat of arms from the beginning or were given their own coat of arms over the years and the badge was abolished. To ensure a largely uniform appearance in the flying end of the flags, coats of arms and other symbols were displayed on a white disc in the size of the former badges. However, there were also exceptions, as some colonies dispensed with this white disc and placed their coat of arms or even just the shield – sometimes enlarged – directly on the bunting. As early as the 1940s, the white disc was removed and the coat of arms was applied directly or enlarged. This conversion process took place gradually, nowhere simultaneously and completely. In some British possessions flags with the white disc are still in use today, in others no longer and in some areas both variants exist side by side.
The British Leeward Islands were given their own badge in 1871. It showed a pineapple on a coast with two ships.
To this day, the Leeward Islands have their own joint cricket team, which includes the following territories: Saint Kitts, Nevis, Anguilla, Montserrat, British Virgin Islands, Sint Maarten, US Virgin Islands. The flags of some of these countries are united on the flag of the Leeward Islands Cricket Team.
Source:
Die Welt der Flaggen,
Wikipedia (EN),
Flags of the World,
Flaggenbuch 1939
Badge,
Source, by:
Flags of the World
The British Leeward Islands were given their own badge in 1871. It showed a pineapple on a coast with two ships.
Source: Wikipedia (EN), Flags of the World
Interactive Map of the Leeward Islands:
Source: Freeware, University of Texas Libraries,
modyfied by: Volker Preuß
Area: 404 square miles (1939) thereof the today's states and colonies: British Virgin Islands, Anguilla, St. Kitts/Nevis, Montserrat, Antigua, Dominica (only to 1939)
Inhabitants: ca. 92.700 (1939)
Density of Population: 229 inh./sq.mi. (1939)
Capital: Saint John's (on Antigua), 10.000 inh. (1960)
official Language: English
Currency: 1 Pound Sterling (GBP) = 100 Pence
Time Zone: GMT – 4 h
Source: Wikipedia (EN), World Statesmen
1671 · establishment of the colony of the British Leeward Islands (by unification of the possessions of British Virgin Islands, Anguilla, St. Kitts, Nevis, Montserrat, Antigua, Dominica)
1816 · dissolution of the colony
1833 · re-establishment of the colony
1871 · introduction of federal structures with limited self administration for the separate islands "Federal Colony of the Leeward Islands"
1939 · Dominica becomes excorporated out of the colony of the Leeward Islands and affiliated to the colony of the British Windward Islands
1956 · rename in "Territory of the Leeward Islands"
1958 · the Leeward Islands become a part of the Federation of the West Indies
1st of January 1960 · dissolution of the colony in several self-contained colonies: 1.) British Virgin Islands, 2.) St. Kitts, Nevis and Anguilla, 3.) Montserrat, 4.) Antigua
Source: Wikipedia (EN), World Statesmen
The name "Leeward Islands" means "the leeward placed islands" (on the from the direction of the wind turned avay side). In this way the in the northern Lesser Antillas placed islands are called until today. The name has its roots in the trade winds of this geographical latitudes. In German they are called "Inseln über dem Wind" (Islands above the Wind).
Source:
Volker Preuß
