Mission Statement
Tenth Tree Limited supports family and community through investment management, philanthropy, and venture funding, governed by social responsibility and ethical practices, to improve our quality of life today and for future generations.
Where did the “Tenth Tree” name come from?
The story of Tenth Tree begins with the Celtic family crest belonging to the founders. The family crest includes salmon and hazel nuts. In addition to being known as the tree of wisdom, the hazel was also the tree that offered sustenance to the "salmon of knowledge" which lived in the pool below its branches.
Each autumn, when this great tree would drop its fruit into the pond below, the salmon would devour the nuts and, collectively, possess all knowledge of all things. The water would glow from within and people would come to drink a cup of the effervescent waters to fortify their intelligence.
Deeper research into Celtic mythology revealed a pantheon of nine sacred trees to which the hazel belonged. Long ago, when the British Isles were still covered with a heavy blanket of trees, small tribes were beginning to establish villages. Usually they were near the bank of a river, but always there would be a grand tree in the center of the village's communal gathering space. The tree that was chosen to stand proudly in this central courtyard would establish the "character" of each village. In addition to hazel, the nine trees were: apple (fertility, choice), birch (female knowledge, birth, spiritual purification), elder (male knowledge), fir (clear vision), grape (celebration, joy), hawthorn (black and white magic), oak (grounding, strength, solidarity), rowan (protection, shield from beguiling or enchantment), and willows (changes of life).
In bringing this tale into the present, we introduced the notion of a “tenth” tree that would represent the generous spirit of the founding family. We also want the tenth tree to show that, while they have deep roots in their past, they are forward looking and interested in the welfare of future generations.
