Catalogue description Colonial Office and Predecessors: Virgin Islands Original Correspondence

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Details of CO 314
Reference: CO 314
Title: Colonial Office and Predecessors: Virgin Islands Original Correspondence
Description:

This series contains original correspondence relating to the Virgin Islands. With the exception of a bundle of letters and papers dating from 1711 to 1791, this correspondence belongs to the period 1854 to 1872.
Date: 1711-1872
Arrangement:

Bound volumes arranged chronologically, and from 1854 within the following subject headings: Despatches (letters of the governors), Offices (letters of government departments and other organisations) and Individuals (arranged alphabetically). Each volume with a contents list, or précis of each letter giving name of correspondent, date of letter and subject matter.
Related material:

For records after 1872 see CO 152

For records from 1816 to 1853 see CO 239

Se also CO 318
Held by: The National Archives, Kew
Legal status: Public Record(s)
Language: English
Physical description: 24 volume(s)
Unpublished finding aids:

For a register to this correspondence before 1850 see CO 326, from 1850 see CO 354. For indexed précis of correspondence see CO 714.

Administrative / biographical background:

The British seized control of the Virgin Islands from the Dutch in 1666 (Tortola was not taken until 1672) and thereafter they were included in the government of the Leeward Islands. In 1816 the Leeward Islands government was broken up and the Virgin Islands were governed together with St Christopher and Nevis but in 1871 the Leeward Islands federal legislature was reinstituted.

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