What does the Victorian slang phrase 'newgate knockers' refer to?

Answer 1

Newgate Knockers: Heavily greased side whiskers curling back to, or over the ears.(http://www.tlucretius.net/Sophie/Castle/victorian_slang.html)

Newgate Knocker:
(A). A lock of hair twisted into a curl, usually worn by costermongers and other persons of similar stations in life. So called because it resembles a knocker, and the wearers of it are too often inmates of Newgate. Newgate as a prison is abolished, but many phrases referring to the prison still remain.
http://www.infoplease.com/dictionary/brewers/newgate-knocker.html

Black as a Newgate Knocker
A Newgate knocker is the fringe or lock of hair which costermongers and thieves twist back towards the ear.
http://www.infoplease.com/dictionary/brewers/black-as-newgate-knocker.html

Answer 2

The phrase is 'As black as Newgate's knocker' and refers to the heavy door knocker on the outer doors of Newgate Prison that existed in London at the time. Newgate was primarily a debtors' prison, and the conditions were extreme and squalid.

Answer 3

It referes to the black knocker that was on the gate of Newgate Prison which once stood on the site that is now the Old Bailey

Answer 4

Newgate knocker.

A lock of hair twisted into a curl, once worn by Costermongers and persons of similiar status. It was so called because it resembled a knocker, and the wearers were often Newgate inmates.

And your next question could be "What is a costermonger!!!?"

Answer 5

Newgate Knockers: Heavily greased side whiskers curling back to, or over the ears

Answer 6

Newgate knockers is cockney slang for Knickers

Answer 7

Prison