British Windward Islands
1833–1958 British colonial division in the Caribbean
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The British Windward Islands was an administrative grouping of British colonies in the Windward Islands of the West Indies, existing from 1833 until 3 January 1958 and consisting of the islands of Grenada, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, the Grenadines, Barbados (the seat of the governor until 1885, when it returned to its former status of a completely separate colony), Tobago (until 1889, when it was joined to Trinidad), and (from 1940) Dominica, previously included in the British Leeward Islands.
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- Bridgetown, Barbados (1871–1885)
- St George's, Grenada (1885–1958)
British Windward Islands | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 1833–1958 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Motto: I pede fausto (Latin: Go with a lucky foot) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Anthem: God Save the King (1833–1837; 1901–1952) God Save the Queen (1837–1901; 1952–1958) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Status | British colony | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Capital |
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| Common languages | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Religion | Christianity (Anglican, Catholic, Methodist) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Government | Constitutional monarchy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Monarch | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
• 1833–1837 (first) | William IV | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
• 1952–1958 (last) | Elizabeth II | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Governor-in-chief | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
• 1833–1836 (first) | Lionel Smith | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
• 1955–1960[a] (last) | Colville Deverell | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| History | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
• Established | 1833 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
• Federation | 1871 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
• Barbados left | 1885 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
• Tobago left | 1889 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
• Dominica joined | 1940 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1956 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 January 1958 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Currency | Pound sterling (official) Spanish dollar, Mexican peso also used | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Administrative history
The seat of government was Bridgetown on Barbados, from 1871 to 1885, and thereafter St. George's on Grenada. The islands were not a single colony, but a confederation of separate colonies with a common governor-in-chief, while each island retained its own institutions. The Windward Islands had neither legislature, laws, revenue nor tariff in common. However, there was a common audit system, while the islands united in maintaining certain institutions of general utility.
Tobago had been a dependency of the Windward Islands from 1814 until it united with Trinidad on 1 January 1889.[1]
Judicial history
In 1859, a common court of appeal for the group was established, composed of the chief justices of the respective island colonies. Under the West Indian Court of Appeal Act 1919 this court was replaced by the West Indian Court of Appeal, responsible for appeals from not only the Windward Islands but also the Federal Colony of the Leeward Islands, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, and British Guiana.
In 1939 the Windward and Leeward Islands Supreme Court and the Windward and Leeward Islands Court of Appeal were established, which was replaced in 1967 by the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court which provides both functions.[2]
Chief justices of the Windward and Leeward Islands
See also
Notes
- The office of governor-in-chief was officially abolished on 1 January 1960, although the territory had been abolished two years earlier.
