Gibb,
'it didn't matter much. (did it?)
In accordance with my last post, it surely doesn't matter at all. In all of L&M's RECORDING output they were ENTERTAINERS. They were not pretending to be seamen. I doubt if MacColl had ever been aboard and Lloyd only went for a sample run on a modern whaler with NO SAILS.

FWIW I posted this a few years ago. Bert claimed to have collected a version of 'Heave away me Johnny' from a Hull seaman when he sailed out of Hull. The words of this pertaining to Hull are not what any person from Hull would ever have sung. I can go into detail if you like. The song IMHO was written by Bert.