About TREE

Who We Are

The Trust for Records of Enslavement and Emancipation (TREE) is a heritage and education charity preserving rare documents from the British colonial era. Our mission is to ensure the names, lives, and legacies of enslaved people are not forgotten.

We hold a unique, privately-sourced archive that is being digitised, transcribed, and made available for public and academic use.

Our Story

TREE began with a family archive passed down through generations. Founder Matt Johnston and his daughter Sunday knew these documents needed to be more than historical curiosities - they needed to be shared.

What started as a personal journey has become a national foundation committed to transparency, education, and ethical storytelling.

Our Vision

To create one of the UK's leading archives of enslavement and emancipation, supporting:

  • Curriculum-ready education packs

  • Public exhibitions

  • Community-led research

  • Digital access to rare documents

Two people, one woman and one man, looking at a framed document displayed on an easel in a warmly lit room with wooden walls and a table lamp.
A man in a plaid blazer looking at an illuminated display of old newspapers mounted on a wooden board at an art exhibit.
A framed display case containing an old newspaper with a sign labeled 'ARTINA' on top.
A man with a beard, wearing a suit jacket and holding papers, standing in front of a banner at a formal event. The background includes a large mirror with two women reflected in it.
IMG_3089.JPG
A wooden easel displays a printed poster titled 'Artifact Explainer,' discussing the appraisal of the Culloden Estate from April 15, 1817. The poster highlights the importance of the document, includes an excerpt in a handwritten style, and provides
Three people looking at display boards at an exhibition or museum.
Brochure titled 'Tree Education Pack KS3,' focusing on British slavery history and primary sources, placed on a blue surface.
Group of men engaged in conversation at an indoor event, with a banner and framed artwork in the background.
IMG_3067.JPG
A woman playing the cello while two other musicians are in the background, one playing a keyboard.
A man in glasses and a dark jacket reading historical documents displayed on an easel in a dimly lit room with ornate wooden paneling.
Two people reviewing documents at a table with various papers and folders, in a room with wood and stone walls.
IMG_4057.JPG

Our Purpose

TREE exists to turn history into understanding. By preserving and sharing original records of enslavement and emancipation, we create opportunities for learning, reflection, and change.

These documents speak to issues that remain relevant today, including justice, identity, and memory. Through education, collaboration, and open access, TREE ensures that the stories once silenced are heard, respected, and remembered.

How We Work

TREE’s approach is built on credibility, care, and collaboration, values that have already earned recognition for helping to reframe the language and interpretive frameworks of national broadcasters and heritage organisations.

  • Our work combines archival precision with modern inclusion, ensuring that each name, place, and event is presented with historical accuracy and contemporary awareness.

    We collaborate with historians, educators, and heritage partners to maintain rigorous transcription, annotation, and conservation standards.

  • Every project begins with the original record: documents, newspapers, and correspondence from Britain’s slavery and emancipation era, examined and interpreted through an evidence-led process.

  • TREE believes that authority comes from responsible custodianship and transparency.

    By grounding all outputs, from exhibitions to education packs, in verifiable sources, we create work that invites learning, reflection, and informed debate.

  • Our purpose is not to speak over history but to give the records the clarity and context they deserve, allowing others to engage with them openly and responsibly.

Supporters of TREE

  • "Our students really enjoyed the presentation from TREE. Matt and Sunday’s passion for the artefacts in their care shines through, as does their sense of responsibility for their preservation."

    TREE Partner - Kingswood Sixth Form
    Head of History and Politics

  • “Matt was meticulous and professional throughout TREE’s launch at Dyrham Park - balancing care, adaptability, and integrity when presenting sensitive historical material.”

    S Meader
    Visitor Experience Manager, National Trust, Dyrham Park

  • "The presentation was thoughtfully designed and perfectly pitched to the needs of our students at Kingswood Preparatory School. Through a combination of visual slides, family artefacts, Matt brought this important chapter of history to life."

    TREE Partner - Kingswood Prep School
    Year 6 Teacher

  • “Congratulations to Matt on such a wonderful, thought provoking exhibition.”

    TREE Partner - Corsham Print
    Business Manager

  • “It was an honour to be commissioned to frame original documents from TREE’s archive. Sometimes we handle items that stop us for a long moment, truly shocking reminders that not that long ago individuals held such power as to reduce human lives to commodity value.”

    TREE Partner Right Angle Picture Framing

  • "We were delighted to host the talk and to partner with TREE, and Matt led the event with such considered humanity and accessible knowledge in the face of the brutality and inhumanity detailed in the records.”

    TREE Partner - Bath Preservation Trust
    CEO