A century ago they risked their lives to rescue sailors and fishermen adrift at sea, and now they could be set to get a fitting memorial.

Each of the 13 bedrooms at the Lifeboat Inn in Ship Lane, Thornham is named after coxswains and crew members on the last rowing/ pulling lifeboat at Hunstanton lifeboat station, the Licensed Victuallers III.

These were brave men who served in the first three decades of the 20th century.

While some of the men may be present in a 1905 photograph of the boat, which is part of the RNLI archive, they cannot be identified individually.

The pub's acting general manager Henry Navarro wants to find out more about the men, and is asking readers for information and photographs, in order to put up framed pictures of the men in their matching rooms.

He said: 'The pub logo has the Licensed Victuallers III on it and we would like to get hold of photos, stories, and information about the men, whose names are on the doors of the 13 bedrooms.

'There may well be people we do not know about who your readers may be able to tell us about. These men would have been local to the area.

'The Licenced Victuallers III started her service at Hunstanton in 1900, was 35ft in length and fitted with a No. 1 rig, mast and sails. She was manned by a crew of 13 men and pulled ten oars, double-banked.

'We are hoping to frame a picture of each man and hang it in the matching room with some information about him for our guests to read.'

The RNLI took over responsibility for the lifeboat at Hunstanton in 1867. The cost of the station was met by the Licensed Victuallers of Great Britain, hence the name of the boats.

The first lifeboat Licensed Victualler was in service from 1867-87, the second from 1887-1900 and the third between 1900-31.

The RNLI has very incomplete crew records and, prior to the 1960s, information is limited to coxswains and crew who were awarded gallantry medals or died in service.

The men they are looking for information on are: John 'Jack' Riches, R. Rumbold, Peter Challman, H. Foster, George Frankland, G. Gilding, William Mitchley, J. Richardson, B. Sexton, James Batson, Israel Holmes, William West, and William Petherwick.

The Lifeboat Inn dates back to the 16th century and was originally a working farm run by William Southgate. It was known locally as the haunt of smugglers where contraband was stored in the cottage and barns. Later it was converted into a beerhouse and in the 19th century renamed as The Lifeboat Inn.

Are you related to one of the men? Email david,bale2@archant.co.uk