Jul-01-21
Premium Chessgames Member MissScarlett: The Era of July 23rd 1854, p.5:

<CHESS. To Correspondents. CH. K. - We have been misinformed by our correspondent last week regarding the pending Tournament at Kling's Chess Rooms. We ought to have stated that the first and second prize is to be contended for by Messrs. Jansen and Marret, the third and fourth prize by Messrs. Ch. K. and Hardy.>

<MY FIRST BOOK. When that manuscript was completed, it was read aloud, night after night, to an admiring audience of family members, and pronounced as fit for publication as anything of Dickens or Thackeray or Bulwer, who were then in the full swing of their mighty capacities. Alas! I was a better judge than my partial and amiable critics. I had very grave doubts - "qualms," I think they are called - and I had read that it was uphill work to get a book published, and swagger through the world as a real live being who had actually written a novel. There was a faint hope, that was all; and so, with my MS. under my arm, I strolled into the palatial premises of Messrs. Hurst and Blackett ("successors to Henry Colburn" they proudly designated themselves at that period), laid my heavy parcel on the counter, and waited with fear and trembling for someone to emerge from the galleries of books and rows of desks beyond, and enquire the nature of my business. And here ensued my first surprise - quite a dramatic coincidence - for the tall, spare, middle-aged gentleman who advanced from the shadows towards the counter, proved, to my intense astonishment, to be a constant chess antagonist of mine at Kling's Chess Rooms, round the corner, in New Oxford-street - rooms which have disappeared long ago, along with Horwitz, Harrwitz, Lowenthal, Williams, and other great chess lights of those far-away times, who were to be seen there, night after night, prepared for all comers. Kling's was a great chess house, and I was a chess enthusiast, as well as a youth who wanted to get into print. Failing literature, I had made up my mind to become a chess champion, if possible, although I knew already, by quiet observation of my antagonists, that in that way madness lay, sheer uncontrollable, raging madnes - for me at any rate. And the grave, middle-aged gentleman behind the counter of 13, Great Marlborough-street, proved to be the cashier of the firm, and used - being chess-mad like the rest of us - to spend his evenings at "Kling's." He was a player of my own strength, and for 12 months or so had I skirmished with him over the chessboard, and fought innumerable battles with him. He had never spoken of his occupation, or I of my restless ambitions - chess players never go far beyond the chequered board.

"Hallo, Robinson!" he exclaimed. in his surprise, "you don't mean to say that you --"

And then he stopped and regarded my youthful appearance very critically.

"Yes Mr. Kenny - it's a novel," I said modestly; "my first."

"There's plenty of it," he remarked drily. "I'll send it upstairs at once. And I'll wish you luck too; but," he added, kindly, preparing to soften the shock of a future refusal, "we have plenty of these come in - about seven a day - and most of them go back to their writers again."

"Ye-es, I suppose so," I answered, with a sigh. - F. W. Robinson in The Idler for March.>

The author must be <Frederick William Robinson>: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frede... He had his first novel published in 1855, so this scene - to the extent we give it credence - likely dates from 1852-54.

Whether the clerk-cashier could be our <Kenny> is a lot less certain. From, at least 1854 to 1858, he's identified as one of the strongest amateurs at Kling's and the Philidorian Chess Rooms (close by in Rathbone Place), whereas a<Robinson> of that period is wholly unknown to us.

1841 census Harrington Street Regents Park St. Pancras Middlesex: Charles Kenny, 25, Publicans asst.

1851 census St. Martin in the Fields, Middlesex: Chas Kenny, 35, Publishers Asst, born in Marylebone. Frances, Wife, 39, b. in Exeter, Josephine, daur 6; Eliza do. 4; Wm son 3, Fras (?) daur 1.

1861 census 8 Crescent cottage Kensington St. Mary Abbott Brompton: Charles Kenny, 45, Commercial Cl Publishers Office, b. in Middlesex. Frances, Wife, 48, b. in Exeter, Fanny, Daur, 11, Katharine Jourdan (?), 19, House Servt., b. in Ireland.

1871 census Brompton Middlesex (Preview unavailable): Charles J Kenney, 55, Frances, 59, Wife, Eliza 24, Daughter, Wililam 22, Son, Mary Hitchman 17, Servant

1875: Charles Edward Kenny, died 1875, buried 17 May 1875 in Camden. (UK burial index)

###

Perhaps his son:

Wiki says <His son William David Kenny was also a schoolmaster> This William Kenny is in the censuses, he was born abt. 1814. The 1871 census (preview again unavailable) London has

William D Kenny 57 Head
Theresa E Kenny 56 Wife
Agnes M Kenny 20 Daughter
<Josephine Kenny 26 Niece>
Amelia M Kenny 36 Visitor

Josephine may well be Charles' daughter (age 6 in 1851).

<"Do you see any clue?"

"You have furnished me with seven, but, of course, I must test them before I can pronounce upon their value."

"You suspect someone?"

"I suspect myself."

"What!"

The 1855 <Chess Player's Chronicle> reports on the annual meeting of the <Richmond CC> with <Mr. W. D. Kenny, who presided in the absence of Mr. Staunton, the President of the Club, in the chair.> Another <Kenny> was noticed amongst the throng.

<TALBOT HOUSE, RICHMOND. - We learn with much pleasure that the gentleman who has presided for so many years over the very extensive establishment of Talbot House, Richmond, has had the degree of Doctor of Philosophy conferred upon him. Dr. Kenny's position as English Professor to the Royal Family of France, for a very lengthened period, has mainly contributed to the obtaining of an honour that is a source of such satisfaction to his numerous friends and pupils.>

Any games by him?>

Yes, well, until a few days ago.