Marion Ellen Lea "Polly" Allnutt MBE (8 September 1896 – 10 November 1980) was a welfare worker, and full-time secretary and commanding officer of the non-governmental Women's Australian National Services (WANS) from 1940.

She was educated at the Elder Conservatorium of Music, studying piano and accompanied soloists in concerts at the Adelaide Town Hall.

[3][4] WANS was established as a non-governmental organization in World War II to provide assistance and training on the home front.

She became its commanding officer in 1942 and in 1944, despite criticism, she organized WANS members to act as strikebreakers during a strike by domestic workers at the Royal Adelaide Hospital.

[1][5] She later helped organize the Wanslea Emergency Home for Children, which was opened at Payneham in March 1947 and later moved to Kingswood,[1] before it phased out residential care and became a childcare centre in 1980.