Vange swimming pool at Riverside Farm, Wharf Lane, Vange closed. The open-air pool, which was situated on the south side of the Pitsea to Tilbury rail route, was closed, allegedly due to a public health scare. It had been open from at least 1933; being filled by natural sea water pumped from the tidal Vange Creek. In 1961 the farm was purchased by Basildon Development Corporation as a potential recreational centre and although the farm itself was later destroyed by fire, in June 1962 Basildon Youth Association were awarded a £1,000 grant from the Carnegie Trust towards the renovation of the site including the pool. Unfortunately despite some work being undertaken to the pavilion, outbuildings and grounds the scheme failed to materialise and the pool was filled in, possibly the same year. The site was later sold and incorporated into Churchill Johnson's timber yard (later W.C. Ware) and is now part of the Kierbeck Business Park.

February

Linda Smith, born to parents Albert and Rose Smith of Redgrave Road, Vange, is the first baby girl to be born in the New Town. The family, who moved with their daughter Carol from East Ham, took over a a newly completed home on the Bellevue Drive estate on 5th November 1951 after Albert had secured work in the area as a bricklayer.

2nd June

The second post-war Laindon Carnival is held at a field in Aston Road, off the High Road. The procession began at the Samuel Road High Road junction in Langdon Hills. The proceeds were in aid of the Laindon Community Hall Fund.

August

The first new shops to be built on a development corporation housing estate are at numbers 19 and 21 Pendle Drive, off Whitmore Way on the Cranes estate in Fryerns. The two shops; a grocers and butchers, were leased by the Co-operative Society (Co-op). The grocery store at No. 19 was run by long serving Labour councillor Alf Dove who had relocated to Basildon to take up the post. The semi-detached building was built to blend in with the existing houses and has a pitched roof and upper flat accommodation.

1st August

Town Development Act, 1952 receives Royal Assent. The Act provided for the transfer of overspill to uncongested existing towns, mainly as a result of inner city damage, and subsequent need for redevelopment, caused by enemy action during world war two.

4th August

The third post-war Vange & Pitsea Carnival held on Bank Holiday Monday. Up to 8,000 people lined the 1½ mile long route beginning at the original Bull Inn in Bull Road (now Clay Hill Road) and the Gun Meadow at Bowers Gifford.