St. Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla

Saint Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla
British colony
1882–1983
Flag Coat of arms
Motto "Unity in Trinity"
Anthem God Save the Queen (1882–1901; 1952–1983) God Save the King (1901–1952)
Location of Saint Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla among the Leeward Islands.
Capital		Basseterre
Languages		English
Government		Constitutional monarchy
Queen
•	1952–1983 (last)	Elizabeth II
Governor
•	1981–1983 (last)	Clement A. Arrindell
History
•	Established	16 June 1882
•	Associated State	27 February 1967
•	Disestablished	19 September 1983
Area		351 km² (136 sq mi)
Currency		Pound sterling (GBP) British West Indies dollar (XBWD) East Caribbean dollar (XCD)
Preceded by Succeeded by Saint Kitts Nevis Anguilla Republic of Anguilla Anguilla Saint Kitts and Nevis

Saint Christopher, Nevis, and Anguilla was a British colony in the West Indies from 1882 to 1983, consisting of the islands of Anguilla (until 1980), Nevis, and Saint Christopher (or Saint Kitts). From 1882 to 1951, and again from 1980, the colony was known simply as Saint Christopher and Nevis. It gained independence in 1983 as the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis.

The islands of Saint Christopher and Nevis had been British colonies since the 17th century, though were always administered separately. A union of Saint Christopher and Nevis had been proposed as early as 1867, when Captain James George Mackenzie was appointed Lieutenant-Governor of Saint Christopher with a mandate to seek an amalgamation of the administrations of the two islands. This proposal met with strong opposition, however, and was withdrawn the following year. In 1871, Saint Christopher and Nevis became presidencies within the Federal Colony of the Leeward Islands, with Anguilla being attached to Saint Christopher as a dependency in the same year. However, in 1882, the legislature of the Leeward Islands passed legislation merging the two presidencies, forming a combined Presidency of Saint Christopher and Nevis.

In 1951, the name of the colony was changed to include Anguilla. The Leeward Islands Colony was disbanded in 1958, due to frequent tension between its members. From 1958 to 1962, Saint Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla formed a province of the West Indies Federation, electing two members to the House of Representatives and also having two senators, appointed by the governor-general. In 1967, the territory of Saint Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla was granted full internal autonomy, as an Associated State of the United Kingdom. The UK retained responsibility for defence and external affairs, while a new judicial system was established, the West Indies Associated States Supreme Court (although the Privy Council remained the highest court of appeal). Later in 1967, Anguilla's leaders expelled the federation's police from the island, and declared its independence as the Republic of Anguilla. A series of interim agreements followed that resulted in direct rule of the island from Britain, although it was not formally separated until December 1980, when it was made a separate Crown colony.