[7] After graduating, Partridge initially tried teaching, although Margaret Tuke, principal of Bedford College, recognised that “she is also likely to prove successful in a non-scholastic post, in which her powers as an organiser will have scope".

[10] Taking advantage of the opportunities available to women working in industry during the First World War, she trained as an engineering apprentice and advanced to supervisor of the test department.

Partridge was a delegate at the first meeting to develop the Electrical Association for Women, held on 12 November 1924 at 1 Upper Brook Street, home of Lady Katharine Parsons.

The meeting heard a paper from Mrs. Mabel Lucy Matthews on her proposal for an organisation to help raise the burden of domestic drudgery from women through the use and increased availability of electricity.

Following what was described as "a lively discussion", Partridge proposed a resolution, which was agreed unanimously, “…to form a Women’s Electrical Association” and wishing “to put on record its thanks to Mrs Matthews”.

She presented a paper entitled Producing and Distributing Electricity at the International Conference of Women in Science, Industry and Commerce organised by Caroline Haslett and the Women's Engineering Society at the British Empire Exhibition on 16 July 1925, speaking alongside the American engineer Ethel H. Bailey and physical chemist Isabel Hadfield.

Partridge continued to live in Devon, with Margaret Rowbotham, and encouraged the members of her local Women's Institute to wire the village hall for electricity.