"Pull Down Lads" written by John Tams.

There's a line in the song which reads thus:
"Tear off the tilt, pull out the chat"
I understand that TILT refers to the strip around the roof of a circus tent.
But what is a CHAT?

Here's another query.
Who wrote "Watercress O"

Both of these songs have been in my repertoire and that of Motley Crew.