Stephen Freud – the elder brother of Lucian and Sir Clement – who described himself as the "forgotten Freud" has died aged 93.

Stephen, the grandson of Sigmund, died peacefully on Tuesday, a spokesman for the family confirmed.

Lucian, the distinguished artist, was estranged from his elder brother for some years but they were understood to have made amends following the death of Sir Clement, the former MP and raconteur.

Stephen's public profile was considerably lower than his brothers, spending 40 years selling ironmongery from a shop in Marylebone, central London.

In an interview he granted to The Telegraph in 2008, he said: "People would say: 'Are you related to Clement and Lucian?' And I said: 'No, they are related to me.' After all, I was the eldest brother."

The Freud family left Germany in 1933 after Hitler came to power.

Stephen studied history, but gave up his Cambridge degree after war was declared.

A naturalised British citizen, he served in Italy manning self-propelled guns.

After the war he dabbled in publishing but eventually stumbled upon an ironmongery shop off Baker Street run by one Charles Harden, who was keen to sell.

The shop continued to be known as Successors To Charles Harden until Stephen retired in 2003.

"I'm happy with my own achievements," he said in the 2008 interview.

"I have lived an interesting life. I have done the things I wanted to do."

A portrait of Stephen by Lucian, painted in 1985-86, was originally owned by Stephen and his wife Ann but is now in the collection of the National Museum of Wales.

The museum's website says the work "exemplifies Freud's probing vision" and "demonstrates his development towards more fibrous brushwork and greater impasto".

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