BARRACKPORE, a town and subdivisional headquarters of British India, in the district of Twenty-four Parganas, Bengal. The town, situated on the left bank of the Hooghly, is divided between two municipalities, North Barrackpore, with a population (1931) of 16,258, and South Barrackpore (pop. 25,395). It con tains a cantonment and its name is said to be derived from the fact of troops having been stationed here since 1772. To the south of the cantonment is situated the park, within which is Government House, a noble building, which was the country house of the governors-general and viceroys from the beginning of the i9th century till 1912. Since the latter year it has been a suburban residence of the governors of Bengal.