I am not being geographically inept, but many years (30+) on a wet day in Sutton Coldfield hanging around til evening to go to the Folk Club where I was booked , I was reading a song /poetry book .
I seem to remember that the Lancashire Lads ( in THAT song ) were actually based (or being sent to ?) Staffordshire during the corn law riots.
I can't for the life of me remember who wrote the foreword /explanation - could it have been Mike Silver ?

Cheers Betsy