Verily Anderson (12 January 1915 – 16 July 2010) was a British author, best known for writing the screenplay of the 1960 film No Kidding, based on her 1958 book Beware of Children, for writing Brownie books and writing genealogical books about the Gurney, Barclay and Buxton families.
Born as Verily Bruce on 12 January 1915 in Edgbaston, Birmingham, she was the daughter of Francis Rosslyn Courtenay Bruce and Rachel Gurney, the fourth of her parents' five children.
Verily Bruce was educated at Edgbaston High School for Girls, Birmingham, between the ages of 4 and 7, then she attended Normanhurst School in Battle, Sussex. At 16, she went to Royal College of Music in London. She was in the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry between 1938 and 1941.
On 2 August 1940 she married Captain Donald Clive Anderson, son of Frank Anderson, thereafter using the name Verily Anderson for her writing. She was with the BBC in TV and radio between 1946 and 2002, working on Woman's Hour and writing TV plays.
On 10 August 1971, she married Paul Edward Paget (1901–1985).
She last resided in Northrepps, Norfolk, where she died at home on 16 July 2010, just after completing a book. She is buried with her husband Paul Paget in neighbouring Sidestrand.
Children of Verily Bruce and Captain Donald Clive Anderson.
1. Marian O'Hare, designer
2. Rachel Anderson is also a writer mostly of children’s literature
3. Eddie Anderson is a television producer.
4. Janie Anderson (now Janie Hampton) is a writer and radio presenter
5. Alexandra Walker (née Anderson) is a literacy tutor to young people.