Green’s Dictionary of Slang

a clever person, esp. when considered suspiciously so.

1832		Fraser’s Mag. Sept. 250/2: He is a clever Dick — as spry as a frog, and almost, though not quite, a man for talents of the secondary degree.
1902		H. Baumann Londinismen (2nd edn).
1903		Semi-Wkly Interior jrnl (Standford, KY) 2 June 2/2: We join with nine-tenths of the population [...] in wishing that ‘Clever Dick’ could catch on to a nice easy berth.
1912		Burnley Gaz. 2 Nov. 1/3: New Comedy Playlet — ‘Miss Clever Dick’.
1930		‘Leslie Charteris’ Enter the Saint 33: You’re quite sure he wasn’t one of these clever dicks?
1950		C. Harris Three-Ha’Pence to the Angel 69: We ain’t all got the gift of the gab like you, Mr Clever Dick.
1958		A. Sillitoe Sat. Night and Sun. Morning 81: It’s a she, cleverdick.
1960		G.W. Target Teachers (1962) 95: Not the only one, clever dick.
1975		A. Bleasdale Scully 59: I think he does it for fun, just to put one over on all those clever dicks in the posh houses.
1980		T. McClenaghan Submariners I iv: Don’t be such a clever dick.
1995		D. Lodge Therapy (1996) 20: More likely than not you don’t spot it and some clever dick behind you nudges you in the kidneys.
2000		Guardian G2 31 May 5: Clever dicks and Johnnies.
2002		J. Cameron Hell on Hoe Street 215: You such a clever dick on the verbals.