Colin Dryden's 'Factory Lad' was posted to this thread back in September last year. It was part of what has been referred to as 'The North Country Trilogy'. Although all 3 songs relate to UK, they were sung by Oz folkies, particularly in NSW. Gerry Hallom included all 3 in his compilation of Dryden recordings: Colin Dryden 'The Australian Years - Vol I'. Here are the other 2 songs:

SITHER
(Colin Dryden)

Forty years in the mill,
your day’s near done, but it’s going still.
Time to be thinking o’ makin’ your will,
for you’ve nowhere to go, no intentions.

Weft and weave it was your game,
ten thousand hours upon the frame,
then walking home in the driving rain,
with a brand new watch and a pension.

Time now to bide, to sit and to dream,
on bygone days and the changes you’ve seen,
in coal and in diesel, the power of steam,
black shawls, coal stockings and courting.

Clogs on the frost on a cold winter’s morn,
the smell of the grease and oil on the loom,
and the wife wi’ the kids by the gateway at noon
stand waiting for your wages on Friday.

Six in the morn and it’s time to rise,
sleep on, old man, you’re weary and wise,
to the ways of the mill, aye, and all of the tries
for a part time job in the doffing.

Puffin’ and pantin’ past the mill,
up to the local to get all your fill,
though you’ve only got enough brass for a gill,
there might be a job in the offing.

But the shuttles have flown, it’s time to roam,
back to the armchair and fire at home,
and leave all the mill hands and weavers alone
to their beer and their laughter and joking.

But many’s the time why you’ve stood with the best,
although the looms have near turned you deaf,
they’ve all got a few miles of weaving as yet
before they’ll have bested old Sither.

Youtube clip

PIT BOY
(Colin Dryden)

The times are hard, the days are long
I wish I were a farmer’s son
Out in the green fields all day long
Away from the dark of the day

Chorus
When the sun is sagging in the sky
The days are long, long are the sighs
Down in the darkness where we bide
Passing our lives away

And if I were a robber bold
I’d rob the rich of all their gold
And if I were caught, well I’ve been told
It’s better down Botany Bay

Chorus

And if I were a sailor, I’d sail the main
And rob the ships of France and Spain
Now if we lost, perhaps we’d gain
For the French might raise our pay

Chorus

Like pit ponies down the mine
Going blind without the shine
Though if we do, we’ll never mind
'Cos we’ll never want the sun no more

Chorus

Audio

Cover by Daniel Kelly

For background info on the songs, here is a link (I have posted it elsewhere in this thread) to a beaut essay by the late Dermott Ryder:

Click

--Stewie.