"It's a Hard Life for a Girl on the Cut" was written, apparently for the "A Cry from the Cut" programme. The words can be found here : http://www.waterwaysongs.co.uk/hard_life.htm

I note that, on that web-page, David Blagrove is reported as having a different opinion about the origin. In some of the sleeve notes written by Mr Blagrove to a couple of lp's there is ambiguity about the origins of some canal songs. Perhaps he had reasons for suggesting that some songs which appeared in the 60's had traditional boating origins. It would be useful to know the truth.