Life in 1953 – Popular Culture Facts

 

This page offers an insight into life in 1953 and includes World news, political leaders, prices, population statistics and information about the popular culture of 1953.

The year 1953 began on a Thursday. It was not a leap year. 

1953 In The News

Life in 1953 - North Sea Floods
Aerial view of the North Sea floods

31st January – North Sea floods killed around 2500 people.

6th March– Georgy Malenkov became leader of the Soviet Union after the death of Joseph Stalin

2nd May– Hussein bin Talal became King of Jordan.

29th May– Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay first men to reach summit of Mount Everest

2nd June– Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in Westminster Abbey.

27th July– The Korean War ended.

 

Life in 1953 – Prices

dollar bill

Average house:
UK – £1,891; USA – $9,550
Petrol per gallon:
UK – £0.20; USA – $0.22
Loaf of Bread:
UK – £0.03; USA – $0.16
Gold per ounce:
UK – $34.84, USA – $38.75

Life in 1953 – Population

World Map

World: – 2,681,061,586
Australia: – 8,857,924
Canada: – 15,183,375
China: – 584,191,360
India: – 389,691,328
Soviet Union: 107,302,808
United States: – 158,956,000
United Kingdom: – 50,593,000

 

Life in 1953 – Music

Popular MusicBest Selling Single:
UK – I Believe – Frankie Lane
USA – The Song from Moulin Rouge – Percy Faith
AUS – The Song from Moulin Rouge – Percy Faith
CAN – No data – Charts began 1964

Best Selling Album:
UK – No data – Charts began 1956
USA – Music for Lovers Only – Jackie Gleason
AUS – No data – Charts began 1966
CAN – No data – Charts began 1968

Popular Artists:
Tony Bennett, Frankie Lane, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Kay Starr

 

On the Bookshelves

BookshelfBooks Published in 1953:

Fahrenheit 451 – Ray Bradbury
The Crucible – Arthur Miller
The Silver Chair – CS Lewis
Nine Stories – J D Salinger
Childhood’s End – Arthur C Clarke

At the Movies

Movies Films1953 Top Movies (USA box office figures):

1. The Robe – $17.5 million
2. From Here to Eternity – $12.2 million
3. Shane – $8 million 4. How to Marry a Millionaire – $7.3 million
5. Peter Pan – $6 million

 

Life in 1953 – World Leaders

Winston Churchill PM of Britain in 1953
Winston Churchill UK Prime Minister

Australia Prime Minister – Robert Menzies 
Canada Prime Minister – Louis St Laurent
China President – Mao Zedong
India Prime Minister – Jawaharlal Nehru
Soviet Union Leader – Joseph Stalin to 5th March; Georgy Malenkov to 8th September; Nikita Khruschchev from 8th September
United States President – Dwight Eisenhower
United Kingdom Prime Minister – Winston Churchill

 

Born in 1953

Michael Bolton born 1953
Singer Michael Bolton

26th February – Michael Bolton (Singer)
23rd March – Chaka Khan (Actor)
19th April – Ruby Wax (Comedian)
6th May – Tony Blair (UK Prime Minister)
15th May – Mike Oldfield (Musician)
16th May – Pierce Brosnan (Actor)

Died in 1953

Hank Williams died 1953
Singer Hank Williams

1st January – Hank Williams (Musician)
5th March – Joseph Stalin (leader of Soviet Union)
19th June – Julius and Ethel Rosenberg (Communist spies – executed)
28th September – Edwin Hubble (Astronomer)
27th November – Eugene O’Meill (Author)

 

1953 Sport Highlights

Maureen Connolly in 1953
Maureen (Mo) Connolly

Football – Blackpool won the FA Cup
Tennis – Maureen Connolly won the Australian Open, the French Open, the US Championship and Wimbledon
Cycling – Louison Bobet (FRA) won the Tour de France
Golf – Ben Hogan won the US Open, and the British Open
Baseball – New York Yankees won the World Series
Horse Racing –Knock Hard won the Cheltenham Gold Cup; Dark Star won the Kentucky Derby

 

Christmas Wishlist

Matchbox Cars 1953

Matchbox Cars
Mr Potato Head
Pull along toys
Dinky Cars
Junior tool kit
Paper dolls

What Was New?

DNA Double helix discovered 1953

Double helix of DNA discovered
Radial tyres invented
Colour TV first broadcast
Black box flight recorder

 

 

First published 2020; updated and republished Mar 23 2022 @ 8:33 pm – Updated – Mar 30, 2022 @ 2:53 pm