Shops at the Fryerns neighbourhood Sub-Centre at Whitmore Way begin opening. The 8 shop units, even numbered 92 - 106, is the first large scale shopping development undertaken by Basildon Development Corporation. Work commenced on its construction the previous year and included two-storey maisonettes above each shop unit. Among the first to open were Ling's hardware, the Home and Colonial foodstore, Orrock's butchers, French and Moon dispensing chemist, Gables Nursery greengrocers and Martin's newsagent. The centre was later extended in the late 1950s with the addition of five more shops.

The New Town Methodist Church is formed to serve new housing developments currently under way in the Barstable/Vange areas of the new town. Initially services are held at the property of Mr. Newton-Brown, an architect employed by the Development Corporation. Services then transferred temporarily to an empty bungalow called Hillview in Nelson Road, an area then being cleared of pre-new town properties in preparation for the Barstable 6 and later Barstable 5 housing estates. In charge of the services was Rev. Donald Shaw, a probationary minister. In January 1954 the church merged with the Free Church at Gordon Hall, Timberlog Lane (now Clayhill Road) until 1960 when the new Trinity Methodist Church was constructed adjacent to Bardfield in the same road.

D.C. Jeakins removals & storage company of Laindon established. For many years they were based at 44 High Road next to the Laindon Hotel where they had a yard and second hand furniture shop. They moved to a new industrial estate at Wrexham Road following its construction in the late 1960s to early 1970s. The company, founded by Derek Jeakins, later established a car and van rental business called Jeakins Rentals in 1985 and is still active today.

Marconi's Wireless Telegraph Company open a factory at Christopher Martin Road on the No.1 Industrial Estate at Nevendon. The company, founded in 1897 as the Wireless Telegraph & Signal Company by Italian inventor Guglielmo Marconi, are amongst the leading developers within the telecommunications industry.

31st January

The 1953 North Sea Flood. On the night of 31st January and the morning of February 1st, the England, Scotland, Belgium and Holland experienced one of the worst natural sea disasters ever recorded. A tidal surge brought about by a high spring tide and a European windstorm caused the North Sea to rise by as much as 18 feet in places. The aftermath was immediate with huge swathes of land on the east coast submerged under water resulting in an overall death toll of 2,551 people. In England, Essex was one of the worst affected counties with Canvey Island, which was completely flooded, recording 58 deaths, the highest number amongst the overall total of 307 for England. For a short time the island's 13,000 inhabitants were evacuated as the emergency services took over in co-ordinated effort to stabilise the situation. Billericay Council took immediate action to provide temporary accommodation for the victims and refuge centres were established around Basildon at Pitsea and Vange, often in local schools. The River Thames tidal defences, what there were of them, were also breached on the low-lying marshes and creeks at Bowers, Pitsea, Vange and Fobbing resulting in the deaths of livestock.

May

Billericay Urban District Council comes under control of a Labour administration for the first time. Councillor Harry Tanswell of King Edward Terrace, Laindon is elected chairman. His vice-chairman is Councillor Bill Kiddell of Topsham Road, Laindon. The party held control until 1955.

9th October

A large collection of Late Bronze Age metalwork was uncovered at Vange during construction on the site of the new Swan Mead (now Cherry Tree) Infant & Junior school. The finds, which included fragments of axe and sword, dates from the Ewart Park Phase (800-700 BC). They were unearthed in a drainage trench and have subsequently become known as the Vange Hoard. The artefacts are now housed at Southend Museum where a future display is planned.

November

The Basildon News newspaper launched. Published by Gem Publicity Limited of 9 Butts Green Road, Hornchurch, it operated a weekly news outlet every Tuesday covering local stories in combination with advertisements. In May 1965 its printing works, known as Nelmes Press at Station Lane, Hornchurch, was hit by a serious fire which caused the paper to offer a 'skeleton edition' for three months by which time the paper was priced at 2d (1p) and run to over 1100 editions.

14th November

The Basildon Standard newspaper launched. Priced at 1½d with 12 pages and available every Saturday, the new tabloid paper followed hot on the heels of the Basildon News - the first new local weekly newspaper - which entered circulation earlier in the month. The long established Laindon Recorder reacted quickly changing its banner for the 18th November edition to Basildon Recorder. A fourth local paper, the "Basildon Times" appeared shortly after but this soon folded. From around June 1964 its circulation day changed to Friday, and then in 1967 the 'Standard' and the 'Recorder' merged to became the Basildon Standard Recorder. In 1971 the 'Basildon' prefix was dropped as the paper was available in various editions and later still the name Standard would disappear altogether. Today, after a time as "Basildon and Wickford Recorder", the paper is now known as "Basildon, Billericay Wickford Recorder". It is also the 'sister' newspaper to the 'Echo' and available at certain outlets as well as being delivered free to households within the district.

2nd December

The 1,000th new home built by Basildon Development Corporation opened at 32 Denys Drive, Fryerns, by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Housing and Local Government, Ernest Marples. Mr. and Mrs. Albert and Constance Andrews were the new tenants having previously lived in Albert Square, Stratford. Building contractor J.B. Rose and Company Ltd. of 157 Sandgate Road, Folkestone, Kent, were responsible for its construction along with others in the close vicinity.

11th December

Vehicle body maker Bonallack & Sons open a purpose built factory at Paycocke Road on the Nevendon industrial estate. The Rt. Hon. Alex Lennox Boyd, Minister of Transport performed the opening duties. The family run company, founded in 1825, had relocated to a 7½ acre site at Basildon from their former headquarters at Nursery Lane, Forest Gate. From 01/07/1971 the company became Freight Bonallack after merging with Freight Development Company of Lancing, West Sussex.