People dont generally learn songs from recordings

Bollocks!! I've learnt a lot of my songs from recordings. I may go to written sources to confirm words that I can't quite pick up, but the basic learning of the song is from the recording. I do also learn songs from written sources.

most dont they use them for further entertainment whilst remaining mindless.

Most people are not particularly interested in performing. Just because they simply wish to listen to the songs does not make them mindless. They will have other interests. It is surprising how many of these so called "mindless" people actually know the words to quite a number of songs and will sing them in informal settings.

Howard and Will,

I can assure you that Tommy Armstrongs songs are still sung here. Obviously, like folk music, they are a minority interest, but they are known generally well received. Bert Draycott has quite a repertoire of Tommy Armstrong songs and sings them well. The Trimdon Grange disaster is probably the most often sung. Trimdon is just up the road from here.

I'm sure you are aware that the spelling of the title of the "Beuk" is an attempt to capture the Geordie accent.