He became a public servant, and was assistant superintendent of the State Labour Bureau for many years; he also served as secretary of the British Empire League in Australia.

Eldridge enlisted for service in World War I as a gunner in 1916, but was not deployed overseas until June 1918.

Among his later public service roles was Executive Secretary of the New South Wales Commission for the British Empire Exhibition and Secretary of the New South Wales Commission for the New Zealand Exhibition; during the mid-1920s, he was an officer with the state Department of Labour and Industry.

[8][9][10] As the split progressed, he was seen as the Lang Labor federal deputy leader under Jack Beasley.

[11][12] Given that Martin was thought to be unwinnable for a second term, Eldridge sought to contest Barton, held by official Labor incumbent James Tully at the forthcoming federal election.