The (London) <Standard> of June 24th 1839, p.4, notes the death on <June 21, at Kensington, Benjamin Keen, Esq., of Stone-buildings, Lincoln's-inn.>

Stone Buildings is associated with the legal profession: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stone...

<Benjamin Keen, Esq.> is one of <the following gentlemen [...] called to the degree of Barrister at Law, by the Benchers of the Honourable Society of the Middle Temple>, on May 22nd, as noticed in the <Morning Chronicle> of May 31st 1830, p.3.

The <Alumni Cantabrigienses>:

<Keen, Benjamin. Adm. pens. (age 16) at TRINITY, May 15, 1811. [Only] s. of Benjamin [of the Island of Dominica, W.I.]. B. in London . School, St Paul's, London. Matric. Easter, 1811; Scholar, 1813; B.A. 1816. Adm. at the Middle Temple, Jan. 29, 1816. Called to the Bar, May 21, 1830. Adm. at the Inner Temple, Aug. 25, 1836. (Not found in Caribbeana; Inns of Court; St Paul's Sch. Reg.> ( https://venn.lib.cam.ac.uk/Document...)

<<Keen>, the chess player, being of the Middle Temple> and the Morrning Chronicle?

Anywho, a very impressive piece of research - using mention of "chess books" in an estate sale as a starting point and then reconnecting to the game. Nice job.

I do wonder how you happened upon the initial lead, are you perusing the classifieds of random papers from the 1840's (and beyond)?! (*)

The document accompanies a letter from George Walker lamenting the demise of the London Chess Club, which was formed in 1807. It's described as a 'printed broadside' and sets out the club's laws followed by a list of 58 members (three of whom are honorary). Walker says he received it around 1826-27 upon being elected a member.

Anyway, for our purpose, one of the names is <B. Keen>, further designated as one of the eleven committee members.

It also claims his father (also Benjamin) died on May 14th 1802 on the island of Martinque aboard a transport ship, which may or may not have been called the 'Prince of Hammersmith' (the entry is confused). 1802 happens to be year that Britain ceded Martinique back to the French: (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Histo...). Note this dovetails with the <Alumni Cantabrigienses> reference to the father's connection to Dominica (which remained under British control).

The <Alumni> cites his education at St. Paul's School in London, and the tree locates his admission there on July 31st 1804, aged 9:

https://archive.org/details/admissi...

~<[1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.O-O d6 5.b4!? Bxb4 6.c3 Ba5 7.d4 Bg4]

A game played by Evans against <Benjamin Keen>, of the London CC, was written in Lewis' notebook, of which the Bodleian Library holds a typed transcript by Murray[28]. It says: "Played prior to 1831. Sent to me by Capt. Evans." It continued

7...exd4 8.cxd4 Qe7 9.d5 Ne6 10.Nxe5 Qxe5 11.Qa4+ Bd7 12.Qxa5 Qxa1 13.Nc3 b6 14.Qa3 Nf6 15.Bg5 Qxf1+ 16.Bxf1 Ng4 17.h3 Ne5 18.Be2 O-O 19.f4 Ng6 20."wins"--

Murray commenting "But the move given (B-KKt3) is impossible."

https://books.google.com/books?id=i... (Search for "Mr K" as in "Mr K * * N)

Or, to elaborate a bit, who confirms K * * N = B. Keen?

This guy, with temporal proximity, identifies him as the "Edmund Keen, the celebrated tragedian"

Roy's book came out two years earlier, and gives <Edmund Keen [sic]>.

Hunneman's definitive book came out much earlier, in 1820, and as noted used <Mr. K * * N> for the three games.

Walker gives 50 of Turk's games, noting Mouet as operator. But we do have a question on which Keen played the automaton, if we bring a healthy skepticism to the matter.