British and Irish Lions visit the Maitland grave of their inaugural captain Robert Seddon

The British and Irish Lions have gathered in Maitland to pay tribute to the inaugural Lions team captain who drowned in the Hunter Valley.

Members of the Lions touring party gathered to lay wreaths at the grave of Robert Seddon, who died at Maitland during a Lions tour in 1888.

A service was held at Seddon's grave and included a minute's silence. (ABC Newcastle: Courtney Yeandle)

The 28-year-old was wearing his Lions jumper when he drowned while rowing on the Hunter River.

He was buried the next day at Campbells Hill Cemetery in the Maitland suburb of Telarah.

Robert Seddon is buried at Campbells Hill Cemetery in Telarah. (ABC Newcastle: Courtney Yeandle)

Former British Lion and current chair, Ieuan Evans, said the organisation made the trip to Maitland on every Australian tour, which occurred every 12 years.

Ieuan Evans says Maitland is an important part of the Lion's legacy as the home of Seddon's grave. (ABC Newcastle: Courtney Yeandle)

"We're here to reflect on a tragic moment where we lost our captain midway through the tour, but also to celebrate the legacy that he left on the rest of his teammates," Evans said.

"To be honest, they were the first great adventurers in rugby, travelling across the globe, playing not only rugby, but cricket, and they played Aussie rules football as well.

"They really were pathfinders in the game and we're still living that legacy now.

" It's all built on the efforts, history and tradition created by Robert Seddon all those years ago. "

Maitland Rugby Club, known as the Blacks, has maintained the gravesite for the past 137 years.

Blacks' president Patrick Howard said it was a great source of pride for the 148-year-old club.

Patrick Howard says the Blacks take pride in taking care of Seddon's grave. (ABC Newcastle: Courtney Yeandle)

"We're just excited to have the Lions out here, putting a spotlight on us for a little while," Howard said.

"History is very important to Maitland Rugby Club and [Seddon] is a big part of our history.

"A lot of our history was lost in the 1955 Maitland flood.

"All of our documents and a lot of our photos went, so we're always accruing new pieces of history."

As part of the commemorations, the Maitland Historical Society worked with the Blacks to compile historical sources that tell the story of Robert Seddon, which was presented to the Lions.

Howard said it was great to have that history documented for the next generation.

"We will now hold that copy here at Maitland Rugby Club as well, as another piece of history that we'll acknowledge moving forward," he said.

Maitland Blacks' members attended the commemorative service at Seddon's grave. (ABC Newcastle: Courtney Yeandle)

Evans said the efforts of the Blacks to preserve Seddon's memory were not taken for granted.

"We are humbled and gratified by the effort of Maitland Rugby Club to maintain the grave, so we can pay homage to Robert Seddon and his contribution to part of the lore of British and Irish Lions," he said.

Lions CEO, Ben Calveley, echoed the sentiment.

Ben Calveley thanked Maitland Rugby Club for maintaining Seddon's grave for 137 years. (ABC Newcastle: Courtney Yeandle)

"It's important that we return and we pay our respects to Robert, but we also pay our respects to our friends from Maitland Rugby Club as well," Calveley said.

" There is an awful lot of integrity in the way that Maitland Rugby Club has looked after Robert's grave for a significant period of time, and friendship more than anything is what rugby union is all about. "

After visiting the grave on Sunday, representatives from the Lions headed to Newcastle for the Wallabies match against Fiji.

Evans said the Lions' brief trip to the Hunter was an important part of the tour's community engagement.

"The Lions' tour is not just a straightforward test series. We're the last touring squad really to get an opportunity to see the breadth of Australia and all it has," he said.

"We're not only building a sporting legacy but also a community legacy as well."

Junior players learn about the unique connection between the Blacks and Lions. (ABC Newcastle: Courtney Yeandle)

For Calveley, it was a welcome break from the high stakes of touring.

"It will be nice to be able to watch a game of rugby with there being nothing at stake for the Lions," he joked.

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