The original Pollyanna?

[wharris]

I'd love to hear any views on the following. I was recently told the following about Pollyanna by a friend.

"She was a Lady, living in London, with her very prominent Lord husband, who was connected very closely to the crown. He had told her to do nothing, but be a perfect wife to him, but she felt that she would like to help the poor especially those in the East End of London. While he was out the house (mansion) she went below stairs and did some asking around as to the most common names in the East End of London. Among them Pollyanna was one that came to light. She then started to send little gifts to people in need, always signing the card Pollyanna."
"This I was told by my grandmother who was a Cockney, born in the late 1800's and she was told this story by her parents and neighbours who had been helped by the original Pollyanna."

Could it be that this be where Eleanor H Porter got the idea for her 1913 book? Has there been any such suggestion? Or could it be that the book is the source of the story in London?

[Danik 2016]

We had the Pollyana mythos also in Brazil. Eleanor H Porter's novel was very popular among us during a long time. We still sometimes talk about a "Pollyana attitude" and several Brazilian girls were christened Pollyana because of the protagonist of the book.

[wharris]

Thanks Danik 2016.