A couple snippets about HC from Era Magazine:

"His several Shakesperian (burlesque) songs are well composed and still better sung." August 1859

"City Hall, Glasgow. The comic department was admirably represented by Mr.Harry Clifton, whose reappearance was greeted with enthusiastic cheering. His extraordinary use of extempore rhyming - making the burden of his songs consist of the things he sees and hears about him - was exercised with a peculiarly happy effect on this occasion." Sept 1861