Louis Harold Geronimus

25 February 1916, New York City - 31 August 1989 Massapequa Park, NY, USA,

Attended Jefferson High School, Brooklyn, New York.

Geronimus came to Scotland to attend medical school in Edinburgh, arriving at Southampton on 10 March 1937. On the same ship was Neil Bernstein, also intending to study medicine in Edinburgh. At the time, there were limited places for Jewish students in U.S. medical schools and many chose to go to Britain. They both commenced their studies in April 1937.

During his time there he had an address at c/o Livingstone, 4 Bernard Terrace, Edinburgh and, like Bernstein, joined the city's Stockbridge Chess Club.

Geronimus played in the Scottish Championship 1939 in Aberdeen, as did Bernstein and another American student, Max Pavey, who would go on to win the championship.

Geronimus returned to the USA in July 1939, but the outbreak of war soon after put an end to his medical studies for some time. (The same applied to Bernstein and Pavey.)

During World War Two he served in the U.S. Forces:

He must have appreciated his time in Edinburgh for in 1947 he returned to the city for his marriage. His wife-to-be, Virginia Adam, arrived at Southampton from New York on 28 March that year. She gave her intended address as 7 Rankeillor Street, Edinburgh.

It appears that Geronimus spent some time in Scotland. When he (now shows as a doctor) and his wife departed Southampton on 10 December 1948, he gave his address as 29 Laurieston Gardens, Edinburgh.

Notes:
Thanks to Professor Arline Geronimus of the University of Michigan, who responded to enquiries for information about her uncle.

In the June 1939 issue of CHESS, p 342, Max Pavey indicates that he knew Geronimus from his time in New York, Pavey having previously played Intercollegiate chess for City College of New York.

Other sources:
Brooklyn Daily Eagle, 25 June 1931, p. 6.
Brooklyn Daily Eagle, 28 September 1944
Scottish Chess Association Year-Book 1940-46.

Compiled by Alan McGowan
Historian/archivist, Chess Scotland

Updated 10/5/2020