Hoping to revive this thread to find out if Chris Conder every found out where this song came from?

I've spent a few hours trawling the Bodleian Ballad database also historical journals and newspapers from England but have come up totally blank.

This song seems to have emerged fully formed from Mick Taylor of Wensleydale. Is it possible this is a Waterson creation?

Is the tune common?

I 100% don't by the claim of a link to Henry Linn's music hall song 'eggs for breakfast', there is almost nothing in common between the two.