A family tree contained within the Ancestry.co.uk website suggests Gideon Paul Macaire was born in St Giles in the Fields parish in 1784, the son of Gideon Macaire (Grimwade p.296, 313, 346) and his wife Ann but no corresponding christening record has been found.
Grimwade recorded detail as if there was only one maker by this name. On the grounds that Richard Ball and Gideon Paul Macaire were brothers-in-law it is assumed the information should be separated between father and son.
No record of apprenticeship or freedom has been found.
A mark was entered at Goldsmiths Hall In 1806 in partnership with his brother-in-law as watch case makers from 6 St James Street, Clerkenwell and the partnership notified a move to 33 Rosoman Street, Clerkenwell in 1809.
He married Elizabeth Susannah Ball at St Martin in the Fields in 1810. She was the sister of his business partner.
The christening of a daughter at St John, Clerkenwell in 1814 records their address as Rosoman Street.
The partnership also notified a change of address to 32 Northampton Square in 1814.
The burial record of an infant Gedion (sic) Macaire at St James, Clerkenwell in 1815 shows Northampton Square, Clerkenwell as his address as do christening records at St James for three further daughters of Gideon and Elizabeth in 1816-20.
The partnership notified a move to 17 Middleton Street in 1821.
The christening and burial records for another son at St James in 1822 noted the Middleton Street address from where two more of their children were christened in 1827 and 1830. Further changes of address for the partnership were notified in 1833 to 33 Middleton Street and back to 17 Middleton Street in 1840.
The 1841 and 1851 UK Census records show the family still at Middleton Street where Gideon advised he was a maker of watch cases in gold. The Ball family lived next door.
The death of his wife Elizabeth was registered in Clerkenwell in 1851.
At the same address in 1861 he reported he was formerly a watch case maker but, at the same address in 1871, he omitted the reference to “formerly” and said he was again a watch case maker.
The burial of Gideon Paul Macaire aged 87 years was recorded at St James, St Pancras in 1871. Late case maker of 26 Myddleton (sic) Street his Will was proved at the Principal Registry in the year of his death. The value of his estate was under £600.
Further history of the watch case making business of Ball & Macaire is contained in Volume I, page 24 of The Directory of Gold & Silversmiths Jewellers & Allied Traders 1838-1914 by John Culme.