The Mayor of St Albans supporting Mencop in 2004
Councillor Gordon Myland was elected and sworn in as the 460th mayor of St Albans on 23 June 2004.
He pledged to continue supporting voluntary organisations, and has the following organisations as his designated charities:
Councillor Jenny Stroud handed over the chains of office to Councillor Myland, who was born, bred and educated in St Albans. He attended St Peter's JMI School, Townsend Boys' School and St Columba's College when he was a youngster in the council chamber.
He has been a councillor since 1988 and has served on both Clarence and St Stephen wards covering Bricket Wood and Chiswell Green.
His involvement in traditional music, dance and folklore is well known.
At a Council meeting of around 200 councillors and guests, a warm tribute was given to Councillor Myland by Councillor Foster; this was for his involvement in various health, leisure, highways and planning committees over the years. It was seconded by Councillor Teresa Heritage, who described him as an "extremely warm and generous person".
He was born in 1936 in a nursing home in Hatfield Road, and has continued to live in St Albans.
When he was a teenager, he became interested in folk dancing, joined St Albans Morris Men and founded the internationally renowned St Albans English Folk Packet.
He was also an apprentice printer with Albanian Press, did his National Service in the Royal Air Force. He went on to a technical sales post in industrial supplies and lifting gear.
Last year's Harpenden Mayor, Bert Pawle, was sworn in as the new Deputy Mayor of St Albans.
He was elected to the district council in 1998 and then to Harpenden Town Council in 1999. Mr Pawle was born in Westminster in 1934, and married in Harpenden in 1965, before moving there shortly afterwards.
He said: "I am very much looking forward to supporting the mayor in his duties and meeting members of the community and hopefully renewing past acquaintances."
See: The Mayor and Mencop events
Page updated: 06 October 2004