For the short story collection, see Waifs and Strays. For other uses, see Waifs and Strays (disambiguation).
Waif and stray was a legal privilege commonly granted by the Crown to landowners under Anglo-Norman law. It usually appeared as part of a standard formula in charters granting privileges to estate-holders, along the lines of "with sac and soc, toll and team, infangthief and outfangthief" and so on.[1]
A waif was an item of ownerless and unclaimed property found on a landowner's territory, while a stray referred to a domestic animal that had wandered onto the same land. Both terms originated from Anglo-Norman French. A grant of waif and stray permitted the landowner to take ownership of such goods or animals if they remained unclaimed after a set period of time. In late medieval England, the management of waifs and strays required the coordination and cooperation of lords and the local communities they presided over.[2]
In later centuries, the expression "waifs and strays" came to be used as metaphors for – and ultimately became synonymous with – abandoned or neglected children.[3]
^Arnold-Baker, Charles (2001). The Companion to British History. Routledge. p. 1222. ISBN 9780415185837.
^Claridge, Jordan; Gibbs, Spike (January 2022). "Waifs and Strays: Property Rights in Late Medieval England". Journal of British Studies. 61 (1): 50–82. doi:10.1017/jbr.2021.125. ISSN 0021-9371.
^Plotz, Judith Ann (2001). Romanticism and the Vocation of Childhood. Palgrave Macmillan. p. 37. ISBN 9780312227357.
Waifandstray was a legal privilege commonly granted by the Crown to landowners under Anglo-Norman law. It usually appeared as part of a standard formula...
A waif (from the Old French guaif, "stray beast") is a person removed, by hardship, loss or other helpless circumstance, from their original surroundings...
WaifsandStrays is a short story collection by O. Henry, released posthumously in 1917. It was published by Doubleday, Page & Company. "The Red Roses...
exclusive successor and assigns terms and conditions then and in that event toll and team true and correct waifandstray ways and means will and testament arbitrary...
The American and English Encyclopaedia Law and Practice, 1910, Vol. III, p. 1030 Abandoned pets Feral Maverick (animal) Waifandstray Rabies "Estray"...
The following is an episode list for the BBC One sitcom Only Fools and Horses. The show is about two brothers who live in Peckham, London. It was first...
established 112 district homes, which searched for and received waifsandstrays, to feed, clothe and educate them. The system under which the institution...
also saw the issue of a demos and outtakes collection, WaifsandStrays, which included previously unreleased material and alternate versions of familiar...
Edinburgh's waifsandstrays'. My brow furrowed. 'Alan, the police bring them here. It's all above board. The police find them on the streets and to keep...
MacDougall, James; Alfred Trübner Nutt. WaifsandStrays of Celtic Tradition. Argyllshire Series. Vol. III: Folk And Hero Tales. London: D. Nutt, 1891. p...
away and let me go - you rake! there from the south the light is coming with the dawning of the day" O'Neill, Francis (1922). WaifsandStrays of Gaelic...
House Home for Girls, for 'waifsandstrays', opened on The Ridge in 1886, it was renamed St Mary's Home for Girls in 1893 and was an industrial school...
Knebworth Festival The Knebworth Festival is a recurring open-air rock and pop concert held on the grounds of the Knebworth House in Knebworth, England...
been evacuated there by the WaifsandStrays society. When they left, it became a convalescent home for Polish officers, and then a school for Polish children...
Royal Palace, and even other time periods. In her first days in the magical house she ends up looking after a magical stray dog named Waif, encounters a...
Inc. Publishers. ISBN 978-0-786-42039-1. American Humane Association WaifsandStrays, The New York Times, April 11, 1874 Mary Ellen Wilson; Further Testimony...
singer, songwriter and recording artist Marc Almond consists of music recorded since the late 1970s. He has recorded as a solo artist and with several other...
Erinsborough, who throws herself into any worthy cause, and opens her house to every passing waifandstray." John Millar from the Daily Record called the character...
UK Top 30 hit "A Lover Spurned". A further single from the album, "WaifsandStrays", was remixed by Dave Ball who was now in the electronic dance band...
Global Information