The note on the sleeve of Jon Raven et alia 'The Bold Navigators: The Story of England's Canal's in Song' Tradition LP TSR 019 [1975] is brief and does not shed any additional light:

As with many of the workers of the 19thC, the music halls had a very strong influence on the songs that were in vogue among the boat people. An all-time favourite with them was 'Keep Yer 'Ands Off', but there must have been many songs made directly by themselves and reflecting their own working life. One so far discovered is 'The Tommy Note' - a song with a nice sense of irony dealing with the Truck system as it affected them. (The Tommy Note was the note used in lieu of payment of wages).

The attribution on the record label is 'Trad/Raven'.

--Stewie.