Nic,

As you seem to be very interested in Ratcliffe Highway, I just took a look at one of my maps of the East End. Crutchley's New Plan of London Improved to 1829 shows that only a short stretch of today's Highway was named Ratcliff Highway running East from Wellclose Square to approximately New Gravel Lane, the next stretch is named High Street or Upper Shadwell, the next section is Cock Hill, the next is Queen Street.

Surely almost if not every port city has a rowdy entertainment area for the seamen ashore. I am no expert on British folk song but I would guess that several have songs related to them.