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In May, Lilie James turned 21. Sporty, creative, kind, clever, and full of potential; the young woman had the world at her feet.
That future was brutally stolen when the young water polo and swimming coach was attacked in the gymnasium of St Andrews Cathedral School in the city on Wednesday.
Lilie James with father Jamie, mum Peta, and brother Max.
She had been coaching students at St Andrews on Wednesday, but when she failed to return home, her family raised the alarm. Emergency services found her dead, with horrific head injuries, in the gym’s toilets. Police described the scene as confronting.
The school is closed for the next two days. Police are searching for her colleague, cricket and hockey coach Paul Thijssen – a former St Andrews sports captain who also attended school in The Netherlands - in relation to her death.
Photographs from social media, posted by her family over the years, paint a picture of a loved, happy young woman, who was adored by her father Jamie, her mother Peta, and her younger brother Max.
Lilie James, aged six, with father Jamie and brother Max
There’s a picture of Lilie and Max as small children crouching on the floor with their father, when they lived in the waterfront suburb of San Souci, near Kogarah. Her eyes are blue and her blonde locks tumble onto her shoulders.
There are photos of her in the water with her father, Jamie, who was heavily involved in her sport and coached her school water polo team (she was an under 17s swimming champion).
Lilie James in her first year at school.
In 2018, she poses proudly with her L plates, about to take on the world of driving.
At her formal in 2020, she was pictured arm-in-arm with friends, wearing a long, powder-blue dress. On one photo, her grandmother, Barbara, commented: “You look so happy Lil. Love you my beautiful granddaughter.”
Lilie James graduating from Danebank in 2020
Another photograph shows her graduating from Danebank, an Anglican school in Hurstville, in 2020, her smile radiating with pride.
On Danebank’s website, there is still a video of Lilie – who came second in an eisteddfod – reciting a monologue from Macbeth.
“I wanted to do a physical theatre piece due to my dance background, as it suits me and my style better and showcases my ability in the best way,” she wrote about her performance.
Lilie James with her L-plates in 2018.
“I love creating pieces through physicality and I like how it conveys a character’s journey through movement rather than just speaking and relying on the dialogue and expression alone. I feel that Lady Macbeth reflects my dramatic side as well. It matches my personality and my style.”
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St Andrews Principal, Julie McGonigle, sent an email to parents on Thursday, urging them not to speculate or speak to media. “I understand that this is a highly upsetting and concerning update, and I want to reiterate my support for our entire school community.”
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