IN a secluded corner of Linda Vista Gardens, buried beneath the undergrowth and obscured from the wandering eye of the casual visitor lay two headstones.

Upon these small but well-made stone headstones, there are no dates, no sentiments, and no other inscriptions except two unusual and uncommon names - Bunty and Darkie.

Both names belong to another era.

One boasts rather jolly connotations, the other carries the taint of a racial slur.

The headstones were brought to the Chronicle’s attention by a dog walker who first noticed them last week.

The dog walker, who wishes to remain anonymous, explained, “I’ve been visiting Linda Vista Gardens for years and thought I knew every inch of it, but the last time I was there, my dog ran up to this spot by the big house and started to mess about in the undergrowth.

“I thought at first he had found a bone, but when I caught up with him I noticed the gravestones. They had these old-fashioned names on them and they were obviously well made.

“I expect they were made to mark the graves of the pets of people who used to live there. I must say though, it was weird stumbling across them after all these years, it was like going back in time.

“God knows when the animals that lay there were buried, and who they belonged to. I’d love to know.”

Your guess dear readers, is as good as ours.

Linda Vista House and Gardens were built for Henry Jenkins in 1875. Henry was originally from the slums of Chicken Street and made his fortune in the export and import game.

What, if any, role he had to play in the origin of the graves is unknown.

However, if anyone can help clear up the mystery of the Linda Vista Gardens headstones, get in touch!