Am most grateful to you both Mikejee and Pedrocut, for your extensive and detailed researches.
Re Edwin's father: "Edward Weston Withers, artist and gentleman" Would you mind supplying the reference for your 1829 snippet, please? He died in 1819 intestate but his wife, Elizabeth Dean, claimed and was granted Administration of his estate valued at 800 pounds. So yes, he was not short of a bob or two.
Edwin's Will begins "Edwin Withers, late of Granville House Soho Park Handsworth in the County of Stafford, Gentleman deceased who died on 12th December 1888 at Granville House.
“[Probate] was proved and granted to Charles Ernest Withers, son and Fanny Louisa Withers, daughter… sworn 16 April 1889 Gross value £5257.4.0; Net value £5095.7.1; Resworn January 1890 £5294.16.4"
So yes, he died a well off gent. He inherited the estate of his Uncle who died with no surviving children, and whose brother Edward Weston had just the one son, Edwin. Edwin thus began in the tobacco shop very well of for a young man. Apart from the property sales you have picked up he looks to have invested in each property, kept the same, rented or leased out, and accumulated at his death a total of 13 properties. Thus by hard work and shrewd investments he became a 'gentleman' and in his death (1889 Advert for auction of his goods and chattels) was described as 'Esq'.
His property portfolio at death reads very well, and your researches amplify his position:
"Tenements in Snow Hill numbers 14 & 15
“Egyptian Hall” Snow Hill
Soho “Manufactory” Slaney Street Numbers 81-83
Dale End 83
Granville House Park Avenue Handsworth
Icneild Street shops Nrs 156, 157 -158; occupied by Mousley Bolton Clewley Hyde
Summer Lane Nr 196-197 occupied by Crisp Woodward
Windsor St Nr 171-181 (plus
Windsor Courts 5, 6, 9
Lower Dartmouth Street, occupied by Alfred Neal
Farm Street 393, the Phoenix Drug and Spice Mills
Cheapside Nr 122 , By Thomas William Howe
Ravenhurst St Nr 25-29
Ravenhurst had been occupied by his mother Elizabeth and his aunt for a time after his father's death; he also lived in Ravenhurst for a while before moving over to Park Ave, Soho.
Many thanks