‘The Cromer lifeboat station has such a great history and we are proud to be carrying it on,’ Paul said afterwards.

‘Although the Lester has been in use for several months and we all know the name, the naming ceremony is very moving and brings home to you the personal contribution of people like Derek Lethern.’ The Tamar class lifeboat was funded by Derek Lethern, with other legacies and gifts, and named Lester after him and his good friend William Foster.

One of the fi rst RNLI lifeboats to be christened was the Harriett at Southwold in 1852. Prior to that, local people fundraised to buy their lifeboats, which were not given a name; they were identifi ed only by the station to which they were attached. The ceremony, which includes a Christian blessing, an offi cial handing over of the boat to the RNLI by the donor or their representative, and the spilling of something alcoholic on the craft, has changed very little since.

Given the power and unpredictability of the sea, it isn’t surprising that, from the beginning of recorded history, sea goers have needed some way of invoking protection.

This Babylonian narrative from the third millennium BC indicates that early sailors took no chances, using both practical and spiritual measures to ensure their safety at sea:

‘Openings to the water I stopped; I searched for cracks and the wanting parts I fi xed: Three sari of bitumen I poured over the outside; To the gods I caused oxen to be sacrifi ced.’

In Viking times, the spilling of human blood and incantations by high priests to appease the gods were the norm. The ancient Greeks and Romans, however, favoured water to bless their ships, calling upon Poseidon and Neptune respectively to protect their seamen. Shrines were carried on the quarterdeck, an area still holding ceremonial signifi cance today.

In Tudor England, a King’s lieutenant would wish the crew and craft good luck, drinking a red wine toast from a goblet of precious metal that he would then toss overboard. Needless to say, spectators rushed into the sea to salvage the ‘standing cup’.

Over the years, this scramble became both inconvenient and expensive. A net was adopted to catch the cup to be used again until, in 1690, a bottle containing wine became a cheaper option, to be replaced later with the more prestigious champagne.

One of the traditions followed at Cromer in the 21st century was the involvement of a male member of the Royal Family. This is the second Cromer lifeboat that the Duke, who is President of the RNLI, has named. At the 2008 ceremony he said:

‘I am delighted to be back here naming the new lifeboat, which plays such an important role in the community. Cromer has always held a special place in my heart because of all the lifeboating heritage including the most famous lifeboatman of all, Henry Blogg.

’Nobody knows how naming ceremonies might evolve in the future but such occasions will surely remain an important milestone in the life of every lifeboat and its community.