Very glad you found the website well worth a visit. It is diffficult to say when the Bondage System died out although the dispute in 1866 certainly made a difference it wasn't abolished. To be a true bondager a woman worker would have to be part of the hind's bond but the general trend was to refer to these workers as bondagers even when they were employed in their own right. A general opinion I have come accross is that it had die out by 1890 but not sure about this. I have been privileged to talk to many people who were bondagers or they remembered them from childhood but obviously not many around now. One gentleman who lived till he was 100 and who sadly died last December recounted a hiring in 1928 (in Wooler) where he plus his dad and two sisters and two brothers were seeking employment. They secured work at Brandon White House near Powburn and this would be on a family contract - farmers were often on the look out for what they called a 'good family'. The father would make the bond or agreement with the farmer.

About songs - I haven't come across any traditional songs but at the moment I am busy working on a film project with Shadowcat Films about the bondagers and we have one hind singing part of some verses composed by 'Andrew Wilson an aged ploughman of Lilliesleaf' which were printed in 'Voices from the Plough' in the 1860's. I wrote some verses to be sung by some bondagers for a concert we did here in Wooler in 2006 but I don't think that is what you are looking for. The film is progressing well - almost fully edited and will be available after the end of May. Sorry about the commercial but it is a very exciting project which was exceedingly well undertaken by Shadowcat Films and we had wonderful amateur actors. A very happy experience. Here are some 'flikr' links -
http://www.flickr.com/photos/76963793@N05/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bambadam/sets/72157629276586189/