Chiswick Woman Settles Row With Brother Over Mother's Funeral

Compromise agreed in dispute between the siblings

A Chiswick woman and her brother have resolved their dispute over how their late mother should be buried.

Christina Levrant, and her brother David Freud of Oxfordshire, went to the High Court to resolve their differences following the death last month of their mother Iris Freud. The ceremony will take place in two parts, separated by Mrs Freud’s interment.

Susanna Levrant

Mrs Levrant wanted her mother to a have Church of England funeral in Sheen, close to where she lived in Putney, but her brother wanted their mother's funeral and interment to follow traditional Jewish customs as their late father was Jewish.

The funeral service, eulogy and burial will be conducted under the neutral auspices of the Master of the Inner Temple Church. It is now agreed that the first portion of the funeral will be solemnly traditional and Mr Freud and his family can leave after the burial if they wish.

However, Mrs Levrant and her supporters may return to the chapel to sing her mother’s favourite song.

Mrs Freud will be buried in consecrated ground at  Mortlake Cemetery, close to Putney where she lived for 66 years.

The judge had commented that he would need "the judgement of Solomon" to rule on the case.

November 14, 2015