Montserrat island "Santa María de Montserrate", after the Virgin of Montserrat in the Monastery of Montserrat, on Montserrat mountain, near Barcelona in Catalonia, Spain. "Montserrat" means "serrated mountain" in Catalan. Archaeological field work in 2012, in Montserrat's Centre Hills indicated there was an Archaic (pre-Arawak) occupation between 4000 and 2500 BP. Later coastal sites show the presence of the Saladoid culture. In November 1493, Christopher Columbus passed Montserrat in his second voyage, after being told that the island was unoccupied due to raids by the Caribs. A number of Irishmen settled in Montserrat in 1632. The preponderance of Irish in the
Montserrat in World War I August 1914. The entirety of the British Empire declared war upon them on the same day, including Montserrat, which was administered as part of the federal crown colony of the British Leeward Islands at the time. Almost immediately, a militia was formed, called the Montserrat Defence Reserve. Many Local Ladies Committees were formed to raise funds and support for the war effort. They also organized drives for material donations, such as one in which of Guava Jelly was collected. Many of the individual presidencies of the five Leeward Islands donated money for the war effort. Montserrat was one, donating £1,000