Bede Evelyn Dominick Elwes (24 August 1931 – 5 September 1975) was an English portrait painter whose much publicised elopement with an heiress in 1957 created an international scandal.
Dominick was the grandson of Gervase Cary Elwes (1866–1921), a diplomat and professional classical tenor, and Lady Winifride Mary Elizabeth Feilding, daughter of the 8th Earl of Denbigh.
For his early education, Dominick spent much of his childhood during the Second World War in the United States, after which he returned to England to attend Downside School in Somerset.
[6][7] When Fidel Castro's revolution threatened the stability of the country the newlyweds fled aboard a raft with two National Geographic explorers who were sailing to Miami.
The next day, accompanied by his wife and an attorney, Elwes turned himself over to authorities and was transferred to Brixton Prison where he remained for two weeks while awaiting trial for contempt of court for defying the judge's order to return Miss Kennedy to her parents.
While at Topic, Elwes discovered and hired a then unknown art student to be a graphic artist for the magazine, Ridley Scott, who went on to become a famous director.
In 1964, he co-wrote a book with Luard, Refer to Drawer: Being a Penetrating Survey of a Shameful National Practice – Hustling, which included illustrations by cartoonist John Glashan.