children, and other close family members, 12 people resided at the lock house. It is assumed that David took over as lock-keeper when his father William died on 20 March 1853. However, David and his son, John were drowned in a tragic accident. This was reported in a Beverley Guardian report of 9 November 1872. After David, his son, and his son's wife visited Beverley, David walked back, but the other two caught a train later that day. The night was very stormy and dark, and a small boat used by them as a ferry was moored on the Arram bank. The son's wife did not want to cross in the small boat, but David's son crossed to pick up a large boat. On his attempted return to the other bank with his father they both fell in the rough waters, and died. Decline The canal was very busy during its life, but traffic started to fall off in the 1930s, and it was officially closed in 1935. Eventually the lock fell into disuse, and Leven Canal became cut off from the river. Subsequently, the lock, which was a flood lock containing three sets of gates, was turned into a sluice, to allow water to pass into the River Hull. The canal was sold by auction in 1963 and was bought by Frank Hopkinson of Conisbrough for the sum of £1,950. Mr Hopkinson was a motor dealer, who joined the Inland Waterways Association; he died in 1969. It is currently managed by Trailer & Marina (Leven) Ltd. The waterway was cut in half when it was decided not to maintain the aqueduct over the "Old Sal" or Holderness Drain. The canal bed has been replaced by a pipe over the drain, which is part of the flood defence system of this low-lying area, and about of canal adjacent to this, under a pipe bridge, has been filled in. The rest of the canal is still in water and has been a Site of Special Scientific Interest since 1962, as it supports around 42 types of plants and animals, including yellow and white water lilies, and this number is larger than for other similar environments. It was the rich flora and fauna that resulted in the High Court upholding a ban on the canal owners from developing the canal for fishing and boating in 2004, although limited improvements have taken place