On the subject of obscure North Eastern songs there was one which appeared to be perculiar to South Shields which I remember hearing around 1970 (although it would probably be very old by then)from a chap called Dickie Harrison who sometimes sang at the Turks Head on the riverside at their "Go As You Please" sessions. It was the only "traditional" song that he did and I also have heard it on the drunk's bus going through the town, around the same time. It appears to have eminated from the shipyards/dry docks possibly referring to the trade of the tank cleaners. The chorus went:-
"Come up you dorty trimmer,come up and get your dinner,
Climbing up the stokehole ladder,
Cos if you're ower late there'll be no dinner on your plate,
Climbing up the stokehole ladder"
If only one of us had had the nouse to record it or write it down.