What (and when) is the origin of the phrase "to be in soup" (in trouble)?

Answer 1

" 'In the soup' is an expression used to imply that someone is in trouble. The origin goes back to the potato famine in 1840s Ireland. Such was the famine that soup kitchens in Dublin were vital; however, in order to be given soup, Irish families had to give up Catholicism and also Anglicise their names - O'Donohue became Donohue for instance. The Irish hated this, but were so hungry that many families were forced to be in the soup."