Gordon Igesund born on 26 July 1956 can trace his  ancestry as far back as 1752 in Skotset More og Ramsdal in Norway. His family arrived in South Africa as part of the Marburg Norwegian Settlers who sailed on the “Lapland” from Aalesund on July 14th  1882 and arrived on  the 29th August 1882 at Marburg, Port Shepstone. Click here to see Gordon’s Family Tree

Norwegian origin surnames were given by the area they were born in.  Igesund, Møre og Romsdal, Norway is a small farming community island near the large town of Alesund.  Isak Igesund, his wife Dorthea and their daughter Anna were in Lot 3 of the Settlers.

Playing career

Among others, he played for Durban City, Durban United, Highlands Park, Bush Bucks  AmaZulu  D’Alberton Callies, African Wanderers and also in Austria  for Admira Wacker

Coaching career

Igesund is a record-breaking coach in South Africa, having become the only man to coach four different top flight teams to the Premier Soccer League Championship. He first made his name when he led unfashionable coastal team Manning Rangers to the inaugural PSL title in the 1996/97 season. He followed this up in the 2000/01 season with another title, this time at the helm of Soweto giants Orlando Pirates. Despite his success with the Buccaneers, Igesund was not popular with the Pirates faithful, who demanded a more attacking and entertaining brand of football than the efficient and controlled game that Igesund had fostered, leading to his departure. He proved his critics wrong the very next season, taking another unfashionable team, Cape Town’s Santos, to a surprise PSL title in 2001/02. But the nomadic Igesund was soon changing his allegiance again, this time moving to Ajax Cape Town , the satellite club of Dutch giants Ajax Amsterdam . Igesund’s time with Ajax proved unsuccessful and he left the team at the end of the 2005/06 season. He replaced Sundowns’ former co-coaches Miguel Gamondi and Neil Tovey  after the two had failed to get the Brazilians last. Igesund added to his record number of PSL titles leading Sundowns to a comfortable winners ofthe South Africa League.

 The Families who arrived on the “Lapland”

•  LOT 1:             Rasmus Sandanger, wife Helene. With Peter Knotten, wife Maren, child Anders.
• LOT 2:             Matias Holte, wife Karen, child Konrad. With Johan Myklebust and Ane Muren.
• LOT 3:             Isak Igesund, wife Dortea, child Anna. With Jakob and Olava Ribbestad.
• LOT 4:             Johan Nero, wife Karen, children Anna and Dorthea. With Martin Amundsen and Ane Sande.
• LOT 6:             Ole Valdal, wife Beate, children Marie, Lina, Olaf. With Regine Johnson and Severin Loken.
• LOT 7:             Kristian Rodseth, wife Kristine, children Aage, Anna, Marje, Elisabet. With Johanne Oie and Peder Ertesvaag.
• LOT 8:             John Kipperberg, wife Gurine. With Emblem, wife Marit, children Trine, Lauritz.
• LOT 9.             Elling Pahr, wife Ane, children, Olava, Kristine, Pernille, Peder, Anna, Eilert and Ole. With A. Hansen.
• LOT 10:           John Lillebo, wife Kanutte, children Peder, Anna, Pernille, Andreas. With Knut Myklebust and Jorgine Ensti.
• LOT 11:           K. O. Standal, wife Johanne. K. E. Standal, wife Oline.
• LOT 12:           K. Martinsen, wife Elisabet, children Margrete, Klara, Elise, Martin. With Kaia and Gudve Rogne and E. Brudevik.
• LOT 13:           Ole Haajem, wife Hendrikke, children Edvard, Anna, Laura, Karl, Ole, Nora. With Petrine, Hans and Nille Haajem.
• LOT 14:           Emil Berg, wife Kornelia, children Johan, Gusta, Marie, Magda, Alfa, Harald, Arthur. With Anna Brungot, J. Melseter.
• LOT 15:           C. D. Lund, wife Marie, children Sverre, Einar, Ragnhild, Astrid. With brother Tank Lund.
• LOT 16:           A. Andersen, wife Gertrud, children Johanne, Hilma, Andreas, Karen. With Elias Rodseth, Ingebrigt, Edvard Bye, Marie Jorgensen and Vaernes.
• LOT 17:           Church and School Lot.
• LOT 18:           Peter Brune, son Ole. With Marie Moe and R. Nederhus.
• LOT 19:           O. Vinjevold, wife Oline, children Oline, Peder, Oluffa, Anna, Josefine, Andreas. With Anders Stigen.
• LOT 20:           F. Hufft, wife Kristine, children Sofie, Inga. With Jorgen VoId and Gurine Frisvold.
• LOT 23:           Martinus Gidske, wife Anna, children Anna, Petter, Bernt, Berte. With Johan Petersen and Nikoline Londahl.
• LOT 25:           Gjert Kvalsvig, wife Marie, child Gustav. With J. Johannesen and Sev­rine Paulsen.
• LOT 29:           Nils Oie, wife Malene, children John and Guttorm, Kannutte and Ingeborg and Kornelia. With O.J. Brauteseth and Karoline Haajem.
• LOT 30:           T. O. Dahle, wife, children Anna, Gusta, Thea, Ludvig, Oluff, Kornelius. With Ingeborg Dyb, W. Andersen and Marie Dahle.
• LOT 31:           A. Birkelund, wife Marta, children Lars and Larsina. With Ane Vatne and Peder Dahle.
• LOT 32:           P. Haram, wife Cecilia, six children.
• LOT 33:           John Oie, wife Karen. With Olai Vatne and Malene Eidseth.
• LOT 35:           Borgensen, wife Marie, child Eivind. With Londahl, Wife Ragnhild, children Martha, DevoId and Dorthea.
• LOT 36:           Pettersen and J. Andersen.
• LOT 37:           Knut Haggeselle, wife Johanne, children Sofie and Ida. With mother Maren and brother Anders, and Anna Karlsen.
• LOT 41:           F. Bodtker, wife Cecelie, children Fritz, Paul, Marie, Rebekka. With L. Berntsen.
• LOT 43:           P. Trandal, Haakon Hjelle and Elen Ekornes.
• LOT 44:           J. Kjonstad, child Dina. With Ingeborg Valum and Olaus Skjerve.
• LOT 45:           G. Kjonstad, wife Elise. With Dagna and Emil Holte. Zefanias Olsen. Grimstad, Karl Meeg and Lina Pettersen.
• LOT 46:           H. Andreasen and Kristian Olsen.
• LOT 50:           E. Bjorseth, wife Anne, children Anna, Peder, Alfred, Olivia. With Johan Vernes.

A total of 229 passengers landed at Umzimkulu on 29th August, 1882.

Acknowledgements: Denise Igesund, Wikipedia and http://www.norsettler.co.za/history.htm

If any of your ancestors were part of the Marburg Settler Scheme, we would love to hear from you.