The man's great-grandfather "'came from Potter Heigham way down to Dovercourt", and used to drive a pony and cart "'round the countryside and into Essex'," carrying fish, bread and other goods for the farms, always travelling in daylight if he could or staying overnight. This was partly because of bad road conditions, and partly because of the various phantoms that haunted the lanes.

"'...but worst of all was the Shuck. Even my father won't talk about him, but I don't mind...He's big like a calf or donkey, sometimes he's white but most times they'll tell you he's black and his eyes light up like lamps.'"

One time in early Winter the great-grandfather had been delayed, and was travelling fast for home in the moonlight when "something black" jumped out of a hedge, trying to get into the back of the cart. "'The pony ran like hell and my great-granddad he yells and takes just one look and there sitting behind him all among the fish and breathing in his ears was the Black Shuck.'"

The cart streaked on, overturning when it couldn't take the next corner, and the witness was pitched out, falling unconscious beside the road. His son and brothers came looking for him at daylight, and although he was alright, the cart was wrecked, and the pony limped home, never doing a day's work afterwards.