Crown colony

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Coat of arms of King James I. In 1624, the Crown revoked the royal charter earlier granted to the Virginia Company, and assumed direct government of the colony Coat of Arms of England (1603-1649).svg
Coat of arms of King James I. In 1624, the Crown revoked the royal charter earlier granted to the Virginia Company, and assumed direct government of the colony

A Crown colony or royal colony was a colony governed by England, and then Great Britain or the United Kingdom within the English and later British Empire. There was usually a governor to represent the Crown, appointed by the British monarch on the advice of the UK Government, with or without the assistance of a local council. In some cases, this council was split into two: an executive council and a legislative council, and the executive council was similar to the Privy Council that advises the monarch. Members of executive councils were appointed by the governors, and British citizens resident in Crown colonies either had no representation in local government, or limited representation in a lower house. In several Crown colonies, this limited representation grew over time. As the House of Commons of the British Parliament has never included seats for any of the colonies, there was no direct representation in the sovereign government for British subjects or citizens residing in Crown colonies.

Contents

The administration of Crown colonies changed over time and in the 1800s some became, with a loosening of the power of royal governors, self-governing colonies, within which the sovereign state (the UK Government) delegated legislation for most local internal matters of governance to elected assemblies, with consent of the governor. Elected lower houses had their beginnings in the House of Burgesses of the Colony of Virginia in 1619 and the House of Assembly of the Parliament of Bermuda in 1620. While initially limited in government even with an elected lower house, over the centuries in some Crown colonies, more independent authority was given.

All remaining British colonies, whether Crown (such as the Falkland Islands) or self-governing (such as Bermuda), were renamed "British Dependent Territories" from 1 January 1983 under the British Nationality Act 1981. Many British citizens in the colonies (with the exceptions of the Falkland Islanders and subsequently the Gibraltarians) found that their "Citizenship of the United Kingdom and Colonies" had changed overnight to British Dependent Territories Citizenship, a form of British citizenship that stripped them of some of their rights, including the right to reside and work in the United Kingdom.[ clarification needed ] From 2002, the dependent territories have been known officially as British Overseas Territories. [1]

History

Early English colonies were often proprietary colonies, usually established and administered by companies under charters granted by the monarch. The first "royal colony" was the Colony of Virginia, after 1624, when the Crown of the Kingdom of England revoked the royal charter it had granted to the Virginia Company and assumed control of the administration. [2]

Executive crown governors are sometimes complemented by a locally appointed and/or elected legislature with limited powers – that is, such territories lack responsible government. For example, while the House of Assembly of Bermuda has existed continuously since its first session in 1620, Bermuda has only had responsible government since 1968. (Bermuda became a Crown colony in 1684, when the government revoked a royal charter given to the Somers Isles Company, successor to the Virginia Company, which had previously controlled administration, including the appointment of governors. Afterwards the British government appointed the Governor of Bermuda.)

Despite its later usage, the term "Crown colony" was used primarily, until the mid-19th century, to refer to colonies that had been acquired through wars, such as Trinidad and Tobago. [3] After that time it was more broadly applied to every British territory other than British India, [4] and self-governing colonies, such as the Province of Canada, Newfoundland, British Columbia, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia, and New Zealand. [5]

By the mid-19th century, the monarch was appointing colonial governors only on the advice of the Secretary of State for the Colonies. [6]

Reclassification (1981)

The term Crown colony continued to be used until 1981, when the British Nationality Act 1981 reclassified the remaining British colonies as "British Dependent Territories". By this time, the term "Crown colony" referred specifically to colonies lacking substantial autonomy, which were administered by an executive governor, appointed by the British Government – such as Hong Kong, before its transfer in 1997 to the People's Republic of China.[ citation needed ] In 2002, the British Overseas Territories Act 2002 further changed their name to British Overseas Territories.

Types

There were three types of Crown colony as of 1918, with differing degrees of autonomy:

Crown colonies with representative councils, such as Bermuda, Jamaica, Ceylon and Fiji, contained two legislative chambers, consisting of Crown-appointed and locally elected members.

Crown colonies with nominated councils, such as British Honduras, Sierra Leone, British Windward Islands and Hong Kong, were staffed entirely by Crown-appointed members, with some appointed representation from the local population. Hong Kong had a representative council following the introduction of election for the Hong Kong Legislative Council in 1995.

Crown colonies ruled directly by a governor, such as Basutoland, [7] Gibraltar, Saint Helena and Singapore, were fewest in number and had the least autonomy.

List

The "from" column lists the year the colony began to be administered by the Crown. These colonies may have existed under a different type of English colonial administration before then.

Crown colonies
Name of colonyfromtoReason for change of status
Flag of Aden (1937-1963).svg Aden 19371967Became part of the Federation of South Arabia.
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Akrotiri and Dhekelia 19601982Became British Dependent Territory in 1983.
Flag of Anguilla.svg  Anguilla 19801982Became British Dependent Territory in 1983.
Flag of Antigua and Barbuda (1956-1962).svg Antigua 16631967Became an associated state.
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Ashanti 19021957Became part of the dominion named Ghana upon its establishment in 1957.
Flag of the Bahamas (1953-1964).svg Bahamas 17181973Became an independent Commonwealth realm.
Flag of Barbados (1870-1966).svg Barbados 16631966Became an independent Commonwealth realm.
Unofficial Basutoland Ensign.svg Basutoland 18841966Became independent as Lesotho in 1966.
Flag of Bermuda.svg  Bermuda 16841982Became British Dependent Territory in 1983.
Flag of the British Antarctic Territory.svg  British Antarctic Territory 19621982Became British Dependent Territory in 1983.
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg British Bechuanaland 18851895Became part of British Cape Colony in 1895.
Flag of the Colony of British Columbia.svg British Columbia 18661871Became part of Canada in 1871.
Flag of British Guiana (1955-1966).svg British Guiana 18311966Became independent as Guyana in 1966.
Flag of British Honduras (1919-1981).svg British Honduras (renamed Belize in 1973)18841981Became independent (as Belize) in 1981.
Flag of the Commissioner of the British Indian Ocean Territory.svg  British Indian Ocean Territory 19651982Became British Dependent Territory in 1983.
British Burma 1937 flag.svg Burma 19371948Separated from British India in 1937 and became a Crown colony. Became independent in 1948 as Burma (later Myanmar).
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Province of Canada 18411867Became part of Canada in 1867.
Flag of the Cape Colony 1876-1910.svg Cape Colony 18061910Became part of the Union of South Africa in 1910.
Flag of the Cayman Islands.svg  Cayman Islands 19621982Became British Dependent Territory in 1983.
Flag of Ceylon (1875-1948).svg Ceylon 18151948Became independent in 1948 as Dominion of Ceylon (later Sri Lanka).
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Christmas Island 19581958Became a territory of Australia
Blue Ensign of Cyprus (1922).svg Cyprus 19141960Became independent as Cyprus in 1960.
Missing Blue Ensign.svg Dominica 17631967Became an associated state.
Union flag 1606 (Kings Colors).svg East Florida 17631783Ceded to Spain. Later became part of the United States.
Flag of the Falkland Islands.svg  Falkland Islands 18411982Became a British Dependent Territory in 1983.
Flag of Fiji (1924-1970).svg Fiji 18741970Became independent as Fiji in 1970
Flag of The Gambia (1889-1965).svg Gambia Colony 18881965Became independent as The Gambia in 1965.
Union flag 1606 (Kings Colors).svg Georgia 17551776Became part of the United States of America in 1776.
Government Ensign of Gibraltar (1939-1999).svg  Gibraltar 17131982Became British Dependent Territory in 1983.
Flag of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands (1937-1976).svg Gilbert and Ellice Islands 19161976Separate Gilbert Islands and Tuvalu colonies
Flag of the Gilbert Islands (1976-1979).svg Gilbert Islands 19761979Became independent as Kiribati
Flag of the Gold Coast (1877-1957).svg Gold Coast 18211957Became independent in 1957 with Ashanti and Northern Territories of the Gold Coast as Ghana.
Flag of Grenada (1903-1967).svg Grenada 17631967Became an associated state.
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Heligoland 18141890Ceded to the German Empire.
Flag of Hong Kong 1959.svg Hong Kong 18431982Imperial Japan military occupied 1941–1945. Reclassified as a British Dependent Territory in 1983. Transferred to Chinese sovereignty in 1997.
Flag of Jamaica (1957-1962).svg Jamaica 16551962Became independent in 1962 as Jamaica.
Flag of Kenya (1921-1963).svg Kenya 19201963United with the Kenya Protectorate in 1963 to form the independent country of Kenya.
Flag of Labuan (1912-1946).svg Labuan 18461890Administered by British North Borneo Company from 1890 to 1904.
Flag of Lagos Colony (1888-1906).svg Lagos 18621906Became part of Colony and Protectorate of Southern Nigeria in 1906.
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Lower Canada 17911841Became part of Province of Canada in 1841.
Flag of Malacca (1946-1957).svg Malacca 19461957Became part of Malaya in 1957.
Flag of Malta (1943-1964).svg Malta 18131964Became independent in 1964 as the State of Malta.
Union flag 1606 (Kings Colors).svg Massachusetts Bay 16911776Became part of the United States of America in 1776.
Flag of Mauritius (1923-1968).svg Mauritius 18101968Became independent as Mauritius in 1968.
Flag of Montserrat.svg  Montserrat 16361982Became British Dependent Territory in 1983.
Flag of the Natal Colony 1875-1910.svg Natal 18431910Became part of the Union of South Africa in 1910.
Dominion of Newfoundland Blue Ensign, 1870-1904.svg Newfoundland 18251907Became the Dominion of Newfoundland in 1907, and later joined Canada in 1949.
Union flag 1606 (Kings Colors).svg New Hampshire 16921776Became part of the United States of America in 1776.
Union flag 1606 (Kings Colors).svg New Ireland 17791783Ceded to the United States of America after Revolutionary War and again after War of 1812 (1814-1815).
Union flag 1606 (Kings Colors).svg New Jersey 17021776Became part of the United States of America in 1776.
Flag of New South Wales.svg New South Wales 17881901Became part of the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901.
Union flag 1606 (Kings Colors).svg New York 16851776Became part of the United States of America in 1776.
Flag of New Zealand.svg New Zealand 18411907Became the Dominion of New Zealand in 1907.
Flag of Nigeria (1914-1952).svg Nigeria 19141960Became independent as Nigeria in 1960.
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Norfolk Island 17881914Placed under administration of Australia in 1914 as a non-self governing territory. The island was self-governing between 1979 and 2015.
Flag of North Borneo (1948-1963).svg North Borneo 19461963Became part of Malaysia in 1963 as Sabah. Labuan separated from Sabah in 1984 to become a Federal Territory. [8]
Union flag 1606 (Kings Colors).svg North Carolina 17291776Became part of the United States of America in 1776.
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Nova Scotia 17101867Became part of Canada in 1867.
Flag of Orange River Colony.svg  Orange River Colony 19001910Became part of the Union of South Africa in 1910.
Flag of the Pitcairn Islands.svg  Pitcairn Islands 18871982Became British Dependent Territory in 1983.
Crown Colony Flag of Penang 1952-1957.png Penang 19461957Became part of Malaya in 1957.
Union flag 1606 (Kings Colors).svg Quebec 17631791Divided between Upper and Lower Canada and the Northwest Territory.
Flag of Queensland.svg Queensland 18591901Became part of the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901.
Flag of Saint Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla (1958-1967).svg Saint Christopher, Nevis and Anguilla 18821967Became an associated state.
Flag of Saint Helena.svg Saint Helena 16591982Became British Dependent Territory in 1983.
Flag of Saint Lucia (1875-1939).svg Saint Lucia 18141967Became an associated state.
Flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (1907-1979).svg Saint Vincent 17761969Became an associated state.
Crown Colony Flag of Sarawak 1947-1963.jpg Sarawak 19461963Became part of Malaysia in 1963. [8]
Flag of Seychelles 1961-1976.gif Seychelles 19031976Separated from British Mauritius in 1903 and became a Crown Colony and became independent in 1976.
Flag of Sierra Leone 1916-1961.gif Sierra Leone 18081961Became independent as Sierra Leone in 1961.
Flag of Singapore (1946-1952).svg Singapore 19461963Became an autonomous state within Malaysia in 1963 and fully independent in 1965. [8]
Flag of South Australia.svg South Australia 18341901Became part of the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901.
Union flag 1606 (Kings Colors).svg South Carolina 17291776Became part of the United States of America in 1776.
Flag of the Southern Nigeria Protectorate (1900-1914).svg Southern Nigeria 19061914Part of the Colony and Protectorate of Southern Nigeria. Merged with Northern Nigeria Protectorate as the Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria in 1914.
Flag of Southern Rhodesia (1924-1964).svg Southern Rhodesia 19231965/1980 Unilateral Declaration of Independence in 1965 as Rhodesia; formally reverted to colonial status in 1979 as Southern Rhodesia; independence granted in 1980 as Zimbabwe
Flag of the British Straits Settlements (1925-1946).svg Straits Settlements 18671946Imperial Japan military occupied 1941–1945. Separated into the Crown colonies of Penang, Malacca and Singapore. [9]
Flag of Tasmania.svg Tasmania 18251901Named Van Diemen's Land until 1856. Became part of the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901.
Flag of the Transvaal Colony (1904-1910).svg  Transvaal Colony 18771910Became part of the Union of South Africa in 1910.
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Tobago 18771889Became part of Trinidad and Tobago
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Trinidad 18021889Became part of Trinidad and Tobago
Flag of Trinidad and Tobago (1958-1962).svg  Trinidad and Tobago 18891962Became independent in 1962
Flag of the Turks and Caicos Islands.svg  Turks and Caicos Islands 19621982Became British Dependent Territory in 1983.
Flag of Tuvalu (1976-1978).svg Tuvalu 19761978Became an independent Commonwealth realm.
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Upper Canada 17911841Became part of Province of Canada in 1841.
Flag of Vancouver Island.svg Vancouver Island 18481866Merged with the Colony of British Columbia in 1866 which joined Canada.
Flag of Victoria (Australia).svg Victoria 18511901Became part of the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901.
Flag of the British Virgin Islands.svg Virgin Islands 17131982Became British Dependent Territory in 1983.
Union flag 1606 (Kings Colors).svg Virginia 16241776Became part of the United States of America in 1776.
Flag of Western Australia.svg Western Australia 18291901 Swan River Colony from 1829 to 1832. Became part of the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901.
Union flag 1606 (Kings Colors).svg West Florida 17631783Ceded to Spain. Later became part of the United States.

See also

Notes

  1. "British Overseas Territories Act 2002". Gov.Uk. Archived from the original on 30 January 2016. Retrieved 11 July 2012.
  2. Porter, p. 477.
  3. History of Parliament: Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago Archived 13 June 2017 at the Wayback Machine – Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago.
  4. Mark Doyle (2018), The British Empire: A Historical Encyclopedia [2 volumes], ABC-CLIO, pp. 82–, ISBN   978-1-4408-4198-9, archived from the original on 29 July 2020, retrieved 13 May 2019
  5. Olson, p. 343.
  6. Jenks, p. 70.
  7. Jenks, pp. 71–4.
  8. 1 2 3 See: Malaysia Act 1963
  9. "The Straits Settlements is dissolved". Archived from the original on 25 December 2018. Retrieved 29 August 2015.

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References