Further up in the thread Nick Dow suggests its a song from Music Hall. I think I have quite strong evidence from Newspaper archives that this is correct.
We can now be reasonably sure that it was first sung by WJ Ashcroft, an Irish American comic active in the British and Irish Halls, and that it was written for him by a Welshman - his principal songwriter and manager, John J Stamford. See https://folksongandmusichall.com/index.php/the-man-you-dont-meet-every-day-jock-stewart/
and follow the links to find out more about Ashcroft and Stamford

I think this is new info ..

John