Grandchild for Mayor

Having made it through the selection process in the local elections last month, the rural Alderman went on to be elected Mayor of the city - he has also become a granda for the first time and is looking forward to a daughter’s wedding later this year.

Bouncing baby girl Emma Martha Anne was born to Maurice and Eve Devenney, weighing in at a healthy seven pounds and two ounces, and as soon as he was able, grandad Maurice and his wife Martha travelled to Reigate to visit the newest member of the Devenney clan, who was born on March 30.

“Emma Martha Anne is named after my wife, Martha and cousin Martha Anne,” said a proud Grandad Devenney.

“Maurice Junior is the oldest of my two children and he and his wife Eve live in England, and have been married for four years. This is my first grandchild,” he said.

“We had been waiting and wondering and wondering and waiting for a grandchild for some time, but now that Emma is here I just feel really honoured to be a grandad.

“Between getting elected and becoming Mayor of the city, it really has been a wonderful year to date and I am looking forward to another big event later in the year with my daughter, Sarah, getting married in September. Sarah is the youngest in the family, and is marrying Alan Hoy from Newbuildings, so that works out well for us because we won’t have to travel very far to visit when they have children. Thankfully Gatwick is just an hour away, and Maurice and Eve live just 15 minutes from the airport, so it is a handy commute for us.”

Asked if Mrs Devenney senior was emotional to become a grandmother, Maurice said: “Martha was emotional, I think we all were.

“You worry about them over the nine months, hoping and praying that everything is OK, and thankfully everything was. Emma is a lovely wee girl.

“I would say she looks like the Devenneys and is nearly a double spit of her dad,” he said proudly.