British Lions honour original skipper Robert Seddon, who died in 1888 in Maitland
Seddon, 28, tragically drowned in a boating accident in the Hunter River on August 15, 1888, and he was buried in Maitland the next day, with the funeral one of the largest held in the city to that time.
The Lions returned to Maitland for the first time on the tour of 1899 and have continued a tradition in recent times with visits on the tours of 1989, 2001 and 2013. lining the streets in tribute.
About 50 members of the rugby community, with representatives from the Lions, Rugby Australia, Rugby NSW, Hunter Rugby and individual clubs from across the Hunter, gathered at the Telerah cemetery for a moving ceremony on Sunday.
The visit came after the Lions overcame a spirited NSW Waratahs to win 21-10 in Sydney on Saturday night.
Evans said the British and Irish Lions were eternally grateful to the Maitland Rugby Club for their stewardship of Seddon's grave site.
"It is a thrill to be here as Lion 616 and pay due respects to Lion 11, Robert Seddon.
"He died so tragically but made such an awfully important contribution to our legacy.
"Legacy is important for the game, but for Lions in particular.
"We shine a very powerful beacon wherever we travel, and for this moment, it is on the Maitland Rugby Club and this graveyard where we pay respects to our very first leader.
Waugh paid tribute to the Maitland Blacks for continuing to maintain Seddon's grave site.
"Robert Seddon was the Lions' first ever captain, and he lost his life at the tender age of 28 in a sculling accident," Waugh said.
"Robert was a remarkable athlete. Capped three times for England, he scored tries for the Lions against teams including Auckland and NSW and even kicked goals in Aussie Rules games against Bendigo and Port Adelaide.
"He was inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2013."
Waugh said the rugby union community from opposite sides of the world was united at the cemetery.
"To stand here 137 years later paying tribute to a lost member of the rugby family speaks to the remarkable bond we share. The universal bond, is I believe, our greatest strength," he said.
Maitland Blacks president Pat Howard said the club had ever since honoured a pledge to maintain Seddon's grave site.
"It's a poignant part of our history, the links between Robert Seddon and the Maitland Rugby Club," Howard said.
"I've been hearing of so many former tours when the Lions have come out to visit their captain in Maitland, including the 1913 tour.
"The story of Robert Seddon is one we hold dear to our hearts. We look after his grave in honour of that, and it's a really important part of our history."
British Lions chairman Ieuan Evans and Australian Rugby Union CEO Phil Waugh joined in Maitland on Sunday to pay tribute to the first Lions captain Robert Seddon.
Seddon, 28, tragically drowned in a boating accident in the Hunter River on August 15, 1888, and he was buried in Maitland the next day, with the funeral one of the largest held in the city to that time.
The Lions returned to Maitland for the first time on the tour of 1899 and have continued a tradition in recent times with visits on the tours of 1989, 2001 and 2013. lining the streets in tribute.
About 50 members of the rugby community, with representatives from the Lions, Rugby Australia, Rugby NSW, Hunter Rugby and individual clubs from across the Hunter, gathered at the Telerah cemetery for a moving ceremony on Sunday.
The visit came after the Lions overcame a spirited NSW Waratahs to win 21-10 in Sydney on Saturday night.
Evans said the British and Irish Lions were eternally grateful to the Maitland Rugby Club for their stewardship of Seddon's grave site.
"It is a thrill to be here as Lion 616 and pay due respects to Lion 11, Robert Seddon.
"He died so tragically but made such an awfully important contribution to our legacy.
"Legacy is important for the game, but for Lions in particular.
"We shine a very powerful beacon wherever we travel, and for this moment, it is on the Maitland Rugby Club and this graveyard where we pay respects to our very first leader.
Waugh paid tribute to the Maitland Blacks for continuing to maintain Seddon's grave site.
"Robert Seddon was the Lions' first ever captain, and he lost his life at the tender age of 28 in a sculling accident," Waugh said.
"Robert was a remarkable athlete. Capped three times for England, he scored tries for the Lions against teams including Auckland and NSW and even kicked goals in Aussie Rules games against Bendigo and Port Adelaide.
"He was inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2013."
Waugh said the rugby union community from opposite sides of the world was united at the cemetery.
"To stand here 137 years later paying tribute to a lost member of the rugby family speaks to the remarkable bond we share. The universal bond, is I believe, our greatest strength," he said.
Maitland Blacks president Pat Howard said the club had ever since honoured a pledge to maintain Seddon's grave site.
"It's a poignant part of our history, the links between Robert Seddon and the Maitland Rugby Club," Howard said.
"I've been hearing of so many former tours when the Lions have come out to visit their captain in Maitland, including the 1913 tour.
"The story of Robert Seddon is one we hold dear to our hearts. We look after his grave in honour of that, and it's a really important part of our history."
British Lions chairman Ieuan Evans and Australian Rugby Union CEO Phil Waugh joined in Maitland on Sunday to pay tribute to the first Lions captain Robert Seddon.
Seddon, 28, tragically drowned in a boating accident in the Hunter River on August 15, 1888, and he was buried in Maitland the next day, with the funeral one of the largest held in the city to that time.
The Lions returned to Maitland for the first time on the tour of 1899 and have continued a tradition in recent times with visits on the tours of 1989, 2001 and 2013. lining the streets in tribute.
About 50 members of the rugby community, with representatives from the Lions, Rugby Australia, Rugby NSW, Hunter Rugby and individual clubs from across the Hunter, gathered at the Telerah cemetery for a moving ceremony on Sunday.
The visit came after the Lions overcame a spirited NSW Waratahs to win 21-10 in Sydney on Saturday night.
Evans said the British and Irish Lions were eternally grateful to the Maitland Rugby Club for their stewardship of Seddon's grave site.
"It is a thrill to be here as Lion 616 and pay due respects to Lion 11, Robert Seddon.
"He died so tragically but made such an awfully important contribution to our legacy.
"Legacy is important for the game, but for Lions in particular.
"We shine a very powerful beacon wherever we travel, and for this moment, it is on the Maitland Rugby Club and this graveyard where we pay respects to our very first leader.
Waugh paid tribute to the Maitland Blacks for continuing to maintain Seddon's grave site.
"Robert Seddon was the Lions' first ever captain, and he lost his life at the tender age of 28 in a sculling accident," Waugh said.
"Robert was a remarkable athlete. Capped three times for England, he scored tries for the Lions against teams including Auckland and NSW and even kicked goals in Aussie Rules games against Bendigo and Port Adelaide.
"He was inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2013."
Waugh said the rugby union community from opposite sides of the world was united at the cemetery.
"To stand here 137 years later paying tribute to a lost member of the rugby family speaks to the remarkable bond we share. The universal bond, is I believe, our greatest strength," he said.
Maitland Blacks president Pat Howard said the club had ever since honoured a pledge to maintain Seddon's grave site.
"It's a poignant part of our history, the links between Robert Seddon and the Maitland Rugby Club," Howard said.
"I've been hearing of so many former tours when the Lions have come out to visit their captain in Maitland, including the 1913 tour.
"The story of Robert Seddon is one we hold dear to our hearts. We look after his grave in honour of that, and it's a really important part of our history."
British Lions chairman Ieuan Evans and Australian Rugby Union CEO Phil Waugh joined in Maitland on Sunday to pay tribute to the first Lions captain Robert Seddon.
Seddon, 28, tragically drowned in a boating accident in the Hunter River on August 15, 1888, and he was buried in Maitland the next day, with the funeral one of the largest held in the city to that time.
The Lions returned to Maitland for the first time on the tour of 1899 and have continued a tradition in recent times with visits on the tours of 1989, 2001 and 2013. lining the streets in tribute.
About 50 members of the rugby community, with representatives from the Lions, Rugby Australia, Rugby NSW, Hunter Rugby and individual clubs from across the Hunter, gathered at the Telerah cemetery for a moving ceremony on Sunday.
The visit came after the Lions overcame a spirited NSW Waratahs to win 21-10 in Sydney on Saturday night.
Evans said the British and Irish Lions were eternally grateful to the Maitland Rugby Club for their stewardship of Seddon's grave site.
"It is a thrill to be here as Lion 616 and pay due respects to Lion 11, Robert Seddon.
"He died so tragically but made such an awfully important contribution to our legacy.
"Legacy is important for the game, but for Lions in particular.
"We shine a very powerful beacon wherever we travel, and for this moment, it is on the Maitland Rugby Club and this graveyard where we pay respects to our very first leader.
Waugh paid tribute to the Maitland Blacks for continuing to maintain Seddon's grave site.
"Robert Seddon was the Lions' first ever captain, and he lost his life at the tender age of 28 in a sculling accident," Waugh said.
"Robert was a remarkable athlete. Capped three times for England, he scored tries for the Lions against teams including Auckland and NSW and even kicked goals in Aussie Rules games against Bendigo and Port Adelaide.
"He was inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2013."
Waugh said the rugby union community from opposite sides of the world was united at the cemetery.
"To stand here 137 years later paying tribute to a lost member of the rugby family speaks to the remarkable bond we share. The universal bond, is I believe, our greatest strength," he said.
Maitland Blacks president Pat Howard said the club had ever since honoured a pledge to maintain Seddon's grave site.
"It's a poignant part of our history, the links between Robert Seddon and the Maitland Rugby Club," Howard said.
"I've been hearing of so many former tours when the Lions have come out to visit their captain in Maitland, including the 1913 tour.
"The story of Robert Seddon is one we hold dear to our hearts. We look after his grave in honour of that, and it's a really important part of our history."
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