For background you might look at:

Martha Vicinus - The Industrial Muse
Roy Palmer - The Sound of History
A.L. Lloyd - Folk Song In England
Reginal Nettl - A Social History of Traditional Song

For songs:

A.L. Lloyd - Come All Ye Bold Miners (mining songs)
Roy Palmer - A Touch On The Times (songs of social change 1770-1914)
Roy Palmer - A Ballad History of England (from 1588 to the present day)
Jon Raven - Victoria's Inferno (songs of the old mills,mines,manufactories,canals and railways)
Karl Dallas - 100 Songs of Toil (450 years of work songs)
Karl Dallas - The Cruel Wars (100 soldiers songs from Agincourt to Ulster).

These are mostly popular books, so look for critical reviews of them as well.

The EFDSS library should get you the rest of the way.

Mick