Some stories just come to you like a gift. A brightly wrapped present with a big bow on top! The story of Daisy is one of those wonderful gifts, especially since she, the hero of this tale, was, well, an alligator who ‘liked’ wearing a ribbon round her neck!

So, how exactly did Daisy the alligator end up living in an ordinary house in the village of St Keverne on the Lizard!?

Daisy the Film Star

Daisy first came to worldwide attention in 1955 when she starred alongside Diana Dors, Jean Carson, Margaret Rutherford and Donald Sinden in the comedy, big budget movie – “An Alligator called Daisy“.

In the film an Englishman, Peter Weston, played by Sinden, is left holding an abandoned but very tame alligator by someone he just met on a ship from Ireland. The unusual pet then helps him develop a bond with a young Irishwoman, who was played by Jean Carson. Of course Weston struggles to keep Daisy the alligator under control and so he plans to get rid of the animal which causes further mayhem and results in a surprising outcome for all . . .

It was widely accepted that the majority of the laughs in the film were created by Weston finding the alligator in various unexpected places, such as inside an upright piano. But the film was generally well received, though perhaps not gaining universally rave reviews.

Much was made of Donald Sinden’s bravery picking up and handling Daisy during the filming at Pinewood Studios, near London, in May 1955.

The alligator was said to be 6 years old and 5ft long and weighed about 44lbs at the time, and packs of magazine and newspaper photographers would visit the studios and invade the set to see Sinden and Carson interacting with “this scaley lady”.

Pinewood Studios even held an alligator beauty pageant with some 40 competitors as a publicity stunt in July 1955 – I think we can assume that Daisy won!

But before the cameras could roll Daisy had to be appropriately dressed in her signature pink bow and coached in her performance by her owner and trainer, a mysterious woman known as Koringa.

Only Female Fakir in the World

Koringa was a circus performer and snake charmer who claimed to have been born in Rajasthan in India. She said she had been raised by fakirs, a group of Muslim holy men or mystics. Fakirs renounce all world possessions, can withstand extreme pain and are said to perform incredible feats of endurance and magic.

Koringa billed herself as being “the only female fakir in the world”.

In fact, Koringa was actually a French woman of Indonesian ancestry who was really called Renee Bernard and she had been born in Bordeaux in 1913. It’s not clear whether she had ever even visited India.

She did work for several circuses over the years and as well as performing tricks with snakes, crocodiles and alligators Koringa also pushed large needles through her skin and balanced concrete blocks on her stomach. However, her star turn was hypnotising an 8ft crocodile called Churchill and then standing on the animal’s head with several large snakes dangling about her neck.

Cue wild applause.

She also trained her animals to “act” in films and it is said that Daisy featured in a total of nine different movies. But all this came to an end shortly after the filming of “An Alligator called Daisy“.

In August 1955 Koringa was training another alligator, this one called Nelson, for a scene at Pinewood (possibly he was standing in for Daisy). Unfortunately Nelson turned on Koringa and bit her. She was rushed to hospital and suffered a severe laceration to her wrist, a broken finger, a broken bone in her hand and numerous other cuts.

The injury stopped her working for an extended period and it appears that soon after this incident Koringa sold most of her animals including her alligators. Daisy moved on to a new career and a new owner – Katrina Roberts.

From Guildford to Cornwall

Perhaps owning an alligator attracts a certain kind of person because in Daisy’s new owner, Katrina Roberts, we find an equally mysterious character to Koringa.

Why this woman decided to buy Daisy for £2 (as she later claimed) in 1956 isn’t clear. But not long after purchasing her Katrina insured her new pet for £3000 and Daisy began making guest appearances at carnivals and football matches.

In May 1961 Daisy attended Guildford City Football Club where she was described by the reporter from the Surrey Advertiser as a “delightful” and “good tempered” guest who “made many friends”.

At the Goose Fair in Blackpool she was described as “the Ugliest Film Star in the World” – a little harsh!

Some of these promotional events seem to have involved Katrina dressing in mock Tudor or Medieval costumes and taking on the name of ‘Guinevere’. This name seems to have stuck because by the time she moved to Cornwall in the late 1960s she was calling herself Gwen Roberts.

And this was the name she used when she was interviewed for Westward Television in 1971.

In the interview, which you can watch below, Gwen (Katrina) is shown bathing Daisy and brushing her teeth. The alligator is seen just wandering around her house and garden in St Keverne, which the programme tells us Gwen also shares with her ‘companion’ Miss Davis and another alligator called Andy Pandy.

Gwen tells the perplexed interviewer that she believes that the creature is “very affectionate” and says that she has never been afraid of her. Apparently local children would come to the house and have rides around the garden on Daisy’s back!

“She’s so famous everybody wants to see her including the local vicar and the coalman and the dustman!”

By 1971 Daisy was reportedly 9ft long and weighing in at some 18 stone (114kg)!

Gwen (or Katrina) also tells the interviewer that she has owned lots of reptiles over the years, including a 9ft Boa Constrictor. She explains that she feels that she understands these animals because she has a “strange nature” herself.

Gwen’s knowledge of the creatures she cares for does seem a little dubious at times however, because she also explains that Daisy came from the African jungle when alligators are only native to North America and China. But Daisy seems content (as far as I am able to tell) and apparently looks forward each week to the day that the butcher calls with her fresh ox liver!

Final Thoughts

Unfortunately I wasn’t able to find out how long Daisy lived for, her exact age is something of a mystery as it is reported differently in different publications. Nor could I find out anything more about Katrina “Gwen” Roberts and her time in St Keverne – so in a way this article is an appeal for more information!

Does anyone out there remember there being a pet alligator in St Keverne? Did you meet Daisy or Andy Pandy or were you perhaps one of the children riding on her back?

I would LOVE to hear from you!

UPDATE October 2024!

My wish was granted!

I was recently contacted by Kate Stuart, who was one of the children who knew Daisy. She and her siblings used to visit with their father who was the local vet, Kate kindly agreed to record their memories and let me share them here, along with some family photos.

Stories of Daisy the alligator from the Stuart Family

Kate Stuart:

“It all came about as our dad Noel Stuart was one of the local vets. I think it was only as we got older that we realised that it was a slightly unusual thing to be part of. It’s certainly provided us with wonderful dinner party tales to tell over the years. Funnily, when dad died in 2021, his GP rang to give me his condolences, saying how he had always loved all dad’s stories but never quite knew how much was true, especially the story about an alligator called Daisy. It made me smile to be able to tell him that she was real. Also, thinking back now I am so surprised that my mum let us happily go to visit and ride on Daisy.  My brother and sister’s memories are below and whilst being a bit older, they have much clearer memories of Daisy than I do, I remember that on a sunny day, Miss Roberts would put a pillow out in the back yard and Daisy would sunbathe with her head resting on the pillow. We used to have a photo of this but sadly it seems to have been mislaid over the years.”

“Dad used to tell a wonderful story about Daisy and the tax man. Bearing in mind that he was a consummate storyteller and his motto was “never let the truth get in the way of a good story”, I think that there is some truth in it. It may indeed all be true. Apparently, as Daisy had worked, she had her own bank account. The tale goes that the tax man came to call to see Miss Daisy Roberts (I assume this was sometime in the 70’s or maybe even earlier). Daisy was sunbathing in the back yard at the time so Miss Roberts sent him through to see her. Needless to say, he made a rapid exit and was never seen again.

I hope you enjoy the stories. The three of us have loved having a good old reminisce over Daisy and that somewhat unusual part of our childhood! How dad would love that you are doing this and that the tale of Daisy goes on.”

From my brother Donal Stuart

“Daisy was originally called Peter, but then laid an egg so had a name change to Daisy. Daisy stared in 8 films. Daisy responded to commands such as open your mouth Daisy, or paddle your left leg Daisy.  I have a photo of me riding on her back around the garden, but cannot find it. Daisy went off her food so dad had to go every 1 to 2 weeks to force feed her. He had some 2″ x2″ timber and tied rag on the end to blunt the corners. He then shoved this up a chickens bottom (a dead chicken may I say) and Daisy then opened her mouth on command and he rammed the chicken down her throat.  There were 2 other smaller alligators, about 6 feet long, kept in separate tanks but they were very aggressive and dangerous.  One was called Moses, and he only had 3 legs, as one was bitten off by the other alligator. Mrs Roberts also used to keep a huge Boa constrictor.  She had it’s 20ft long shedded skin hanging on her wall in the conservatory.”

From my sister Ali Yates

“I remember clearly, in the early 70s, going to see Daisy the alligator a number of times. She lived with her owners, the Miss Roberts sisters who must have been around 80, in a cottage in Manaccan (?).
There was also a much smaller alligator named Moses who seemed very grumpy.
The reason for the visit was that my father, Noel Stuart, was a vet with Head and Head in Helston. Daisy had stopped eating so my father was called in to check her . Not an easy task. It was so exciting being able to go with Dad on his visits to Daisy.
Daisy was to be found in her large, (she was 8 foot long at that stage), metal tank in the kitchen. Miss Robert’s introduced Daisy to us and then proceeded to show us her “tricks”. She told Daisy to paddle with her left foot which she duly did repeated by her right foot. Water swished over the tank edge onto the floor.
It was decided to force feed Daisy, (not an easy task I assure you) with whole chickens. Miss Robert’s explained to Daisy that kind Mr Stuart had come to make her better. She was asked to open her mouth. A scary sight, looking down the throat of a large alligator with huge, sharp teeth. Dad quickly propped open the jaws with a good sized pole and then pushed whole chickens down her throat. A large stick was used for this hazardous operation!!
Daisy seemed quite content when this was complete and was given her ramp to exit the tank and wander out into the backyard. This is where I was allowed to ride around on her back. Quite a bizarre experience when I look back on it. All part of being the local vet’s daughter.
Daisy soaked up the sun and then on command returned to her tank. The house was also home to many cats and hence many kittens. Some brave kittens perilously wandered along the tank edge and came to a sticky end. Daisy showed her ability to move quickly when the need arose!
Daisy outlived the Robert’s sisters and ended up going to a zoo. (Newquay?) – Wonderful memories, from Alison Yates (Nee Stuart)”

Watch the interview with Katrina Roberts (aka Gwen) here:

Watch Alligator on Lizard online – BFI Player

Further Reading

Cornwall’s Strongmen – feats of strength & record breakers

George Symons – Cornish Motorcyclist in First Ever Manx Grand Prix

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