Verily Anderson facts for kids

Verily Anderson (born January 12, 1915 – died July 16, 2010) was a British writer. She was famous for writing the story for the 1960 movie No Kidding. This movie was based on her own book, Beware of Children. Verily also wrote many books for Brownies and books about family histories.

About Verily Anderson

Verily Bruce was born on January 12, 1915, in Edgbaston, Birmingham. Her parents were Francis Rosslyn Courtenay Bruce and Rachel Gurney. She was the fourth of their five children.

Early Life and Education

Verily went to Edgbaston High School for Girls in Birmingham when she was four years old. She stayed there until she was seven. After that, she attended Normanhurst School in Battle, Sussex. When she was 16, she moved to London to study at the Royal College of Music.

From 1938 to 1941, Verily was part of the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry. This was a group that helped with first aid during wartime.

Family Life and Career

On August 2, 1940, Verily married Captain Donald Clive Anderson. After marrying, she started using the name Verily Anderson for her writing.

She worked for the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) from 1946 to 2002. She helped with TV and radio shows, including Woman's Hour. She also wrote TV plays.

Later, on August 10, 1971, she married Paul Edward Paget.

Verily Anderson lived in Frogshall, Northrepps, Norfolk, for many years. She passed away at home on July 16, 2010, when she was 95 years old. She had just finished writing a book called Castellans of Herstmonceux (1911-2010). She is buried next to her husband, Paul Paget, in Sidestrand.

Verily's Children

Verily Anderson had five children with her first husband, Captain Donald Clive Anderson:

• Marian O'Hare, who became a designer.
• Rachel Anderson, who is a writer, especially known for children's books.
• Eddie Anderson, who became a television producer.
• Janie Anderson (now Janie Hampton), who is a writer and radio presenter.
• Alexandra Walker, who teaches young people how to read and write.

Verily's Books

Verily Anderson wrote many different kinds of books.

Brownie Books

These books were written for Brownies, who are young girls in the Girl Guides movement.

• Towards the Golden Hand (a play for Brownies), 1948.
• Magic for the Golden Bar, 1953.
• Amanda and the Brownies, 1960.
• The Brownies and the Golden Hand, 1963.
• The Brownies and the Ponies, 1965.
• Brownies on Wheels, 1966.
• The Brownies and the Wedding Day, 1974.
• Brownies' Cook-Book, 1974.
• The Brownies and the Christening, 1977.
• Brownies' Day Abroad, 1984.

Other Children's Books

• Vanload to Venice, 1961.
• Clover Coverdale, 1966.
• Camp Fire Cook-Book, 1976.

Autobiography Books

An autobiography is a book about the author's own life.

• Spam Tomorrow, 1956.
• Our Square, 1957.
• Beware of Children, 1958.
• Daughters of Divinity, 1960.
• Nine Times Never, 1962.
• The Flo Affair, 1963.
• The Yorks in London, 1964.
• Scrambled Egg for Christmas, 1970.

Biography Books

A biography is a book about someone else's life.

• The Northrepps Grandchildren, 1968.
• The Last of the Eccentrics: A Life of Rosslyn Bruce, 1972.
• Friends and Relations, 1980.
• The De Veres of Castle Hedingham, 1993.
• Castellans of Herstmonceux (1911-2010), 2011.

Film Work

Verily Anderson wrote the story for the 1960 film Beware of Children. In North America, this movie was called No Kidding. It was directed by Gerald Thomas and starred actors like Leslie Phillips, Geraldine McEwan, and Julia Lockwood.