BARRACKPUR  , a

town and magisterial subdivision of British India, in the district of Twenty-four Parganas, Bengal . The town is the largest cantonment in Lower Bengal, having accommodation for two batteries of artillery, the wing of a European regiment and two native battalions . Its name is said to be derived from the fact of troops having been stationed here since 1772 . It is a station on the Eastern Bengal railway . Job 426 Charnock, the founder of Calcutta, erected a bungalow and established a small bazaar here in 1689 . The cantonment is situated on the left bank of the Hugh; it has also a large bazaar and several large tanks, and also a parade ground . To the south of the cantonment is situated the park, created by the taste and public spirit of Lord Wellesley . Within the park is situated the Government House, a noble building begun by Lord Minto, and enlarged into its present state by the marquess of Hastings . The park is beautifully laid out, and contains a small menagerie . Its most interesting feature is now Lady Canning's tomb . Barrackpur played an important part in the two Sepoy mutinies of 1824 and 1857, but the details of these belong to the general history of British rule in India . North Barrackpur had a population in 1901 of 12,600 and south Barrackpur of 19,307 .

Barrackpur subdivision was formed in 1904 . It contains an

area of 190 sq. m., which, at the census of 1901, had a population of 206,311, a large proportion being workers in the mills on the left bank of the Hugli .