Obituaries Australia

The widow of a leading philanthropist who had a passion for English heritage and enjoyed nothing more than visiting country houses has left the [British] National Trust several million pounds, the largest legacy it has received.

Mrs Helena Levy, who died three months ago, and her husband Kenneth who died in 1984, had long been supporters of the trust and gave hundreds of thousands of pounds over the years. They had no children.

In her will, Mrs Levy, of Chelsea, west London, who died aged 89, left estate valued at £6,739,074 (£6,676,431 net). She bequeathed all but an eighth to the National trust. Mr Warren Davis, a National Trust spokesman, said: "Both Mrs Levy and her husband had a special rapport with the work of the trust and we shall bear in mind their particular interests when deciding how the money should be used. We don't yet know the exact amount." Death duties are still to be calculated.

Mrs Levy's late husband had been a senior partner of the stockbroking firm Penney Easton and Co. He left estate valued at over £2 million including a collection of paintings worth over £1 million, left to the Tate gallery upon the death of his wife. The bequest, to be known as "The Helena and Kenneth Levy Bequest", includes 'Le Musee du Havre' by Monet.